Lonti Ebers, Founder and CEO

Lonti Ebers is a long-time art collector and supporter of contemporary art. She conceptualized and built Amant New York to offer studio residencies and exhibition galleries that would encourage artistic development and experimentation free of the financial burden and administrative confines that typically accompany art practice in New York. Amant’s program focuses on innovative exhibitions of contemporary for visual art, media and performance art, and discursive events.

Lonti has served on the boards of several museums in both the US and abroad and is currently a trustee of New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), where she chairs the committee of Media and Performance. She has funded an endowment for exhibitions at the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College, and sits on the European Committee of the Tate Gallery in London.

Nick Pilato, Executive Director

Nick Pilato‘s ethos and approach to work and life were forged in the cauldron of self-discipline, collaborative leadership, and intense curiosity. Over the course of his career, he has cultivated a wealth of experience and expertise, honing his skills in both operational management and artistic stewardship. He has over 12 years of operational experience in art institutions across New York, previously as the Director of Operations at Greene Naftali Gallery. Nick holds an MFA from the Mason Gross School of the Arts.

Tobi Maier, Chief Curator

Tobi is an art critic, curator and editor. Prior to his tenure as Chief Curator at Amant he directed Lisbon’s Municipal Galleries (2019-2022), co-founded the exhibition space SOLO SHOWS in São Paulo (2015-2018), served as an Associate Curator for the 30th edition of the Bienal de São Paulo (2012), as curator at Ludlow 38 in New York (2008–2011) and at Frankfurter Kunstverein in Frankfurt am Main (2006–2008). He holds a MA Curating Contemporary Art from the Royal College of Art, London and completed PhD research in the department of Poéticas Visuais at the School of Communications and Arts of the University of São Paulo (USP). He has edited numerous publications, contributed to a variety of journals including Artforum, ArtReview, Flash Art, Frieze, OEI, Texte zur Kunst and lectures frequently.

Patricia Margarita Hernández, Associate Curator

Patricia is a curator and researcher with a background in social work. Her work, which is often grounded in collaboration, focuses on the intersections of ecology, climate change, and feminist theory. She has held positions as assistant curator at Dia Art Foundation, New York, NY and Associate Director at A.I.R. Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, the first artist-run collective in the United States dedicated to feminist practices. Collaborative projects include Alliance of the Southern Triangle (A.S.T.), a platform for artists and architects focused on speculative urbanism and climate change.

Ian Wallace, Associate Curator

Ian received his PhD in Art History from the CUNY Graduate Center in 2021 with a dissertation on the work of the artist Charlotte Posenenske. His research focuses on the concept of value in modern and contemporary art, art’s capacity to address pressing social issues, and the “lives” of conceptual practices in institutional collections. He has previously worked at Fondazione Prada, the Museum of Modern Art, Dia Art Foundation, and the New Museum and has additionally contributed to exhibitions at La Fondazione Emilio e Annabianca Vedova, Venice; the International Studio and Curatorial Program, Brooklyn; the Museum of Jurassic Technology, Los Angeles; and Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus und Kunstbau, Munich. In 2022, he was Assistant to the Curator of the 59th Venice Biennale, The Milk of Dreams.

Maggie Bamberg, Production Manager

After spending 11 years working with artists and producing large complex exhibitions through David Zwirner and then directly with Lorna Simpson, Maggie is excited about catalyzing positive change through creative programming with emerging artists at Amant. She has worked on a broad range of exhibitions all over the world and is most proud of coordinating the “Nasty Women” exhibition at the Knockdown Center, highlighting female identifying artists from all backgrounds. She also volunteers with community food security groups and enjoys gardening and hiking in her spare time. Maggie holds a BFA from Guilford College.

Hannah Marks, Head of Special Projects

Hannah Marks is a researcher, event coordinator, and avid reader. She comes from the fast-paced auction industry, which she had been involved in since studying at Sotheby’s in 2012. She holds a BA in art history from Christie’s Education, and an MA in Art History and Art Business from the University of Glasgow in Scotland.

Anna Lyman, Siena Residency Coordinator

Anna Lyman is an arts administrator, strategist, and leadership advisor. She spent over seven years living and working in Italy, and has most recently held high-level administrative positions in U.S.-based arts and cultural institutions including the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston and the Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD). Anna holds an AB in Religion and the Humanities from the University of Chicago, and an MBA in Arts Administration.

Melissa Inéz Rodríguez, Operations and Finance Assistant

As a native New Yorker, Melissa’s exposure to the culture this city has to offer from a young age has flourished into an immense love for the arts and built environment. She studied Art History at CUNY Queens College, and has worked at several art institutions, including the Godwin-Ternbach Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Arts. In her free time, Melissa enjoys going on photo walks, visiting museums and galleries, and dining out.

Eda Li, Digital and Design Associate

Eda is a visual communicator specializing in graphic design, content production and creative collaboration. Prior to joining Amant, she worked on a wide range of design projects and communications campaigns at Public Art Fund, Gladstone Gallery, and Art 21. With a B.F.A in Studio Art and an M.A. in nonprofit Visual Arts Administration, she is adept at delivering people-centered communications and design experiences that foster connection, and bring forth conversation.

Anthony Limauro, Head of Installation

Anthony graduated from Pratt Institute in 2015 with a BFA in Sculpture and has been working in fabrication and installation in the art world since. He has experience working with a wide range of materials and artists and enjoys tending to the small details often overlooked. Outside of art he enjoys playing cards, board games, and riding his bicycles.

Jaïra Placide, Curatorial Fellow

Jaïra is a PhD student in English at the CUNY Graduate Center. She is a writer, poet and sometimes visual artist.

Aristilde Kirby, Bookstore Associate

Aristilde is a lover of books from the Bronx, New York. She is also an artist whose work covers the bases of poetry, performance, and cultural criticism. These works have been featured in Miguel Abreu Gallery, the Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Entrance, The Poetry Project, Smack Mellon, and as a part of Texte Zur Kunst’s Velvet Voice Club at the Roter Salon, Volksbühne. She has published a book with Auric Press as well as chapbooks with Belladonna*, Black Warrior Review, & The Best American Experimental Writing 2020. They have their BFA in English from the University of West Georgia & an MFA in Writing from The Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts, Bard College.

Graham Hall, Café Manager

Graham is a musician, writer, and seasoned coffee slinger. He earned a BA in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and for the last ten years has concentrated on creative endeavors while advancing as a professional in the New York coffee community. Outside of art and industry, Graham spends his time enjoying poetry and fiction, going to the movies, and watching baseball.

Maggie Loane, Senior Vistor Engagement Representative

Maggie is an aspiring curator whose interests involve queer and feminist ecologies, storytelling and mythmaking, and other-than-human subjects. She joins us from the Whitechapel Gallery in London, where she previously worked as a member of the front-of-house, editions, and education teams. She holds a BA in the History of Art from Boston University and an MFA in Curating from Goldsmiths, University of London.

Jesús Charris, Visitor Engagement Representative and Event Assistant

Jesús Charris is a journalist and creative specializing in contemporary art, including performance art. He continuously surveys and documents exhibitions and art events in New York City and beyond. Passionate about the diversity of creativity and cultures, he has travelled extensively. He holds a degree in social communication and journalism from Universidad del Norte in Colombia.

Joseph “Sep” Blanco, Visitor Engagement Representative

Joseph “Sep” Blanco is a native New Yorker from The Bronx. He holds a BFA from SUNY Purchase. In his free time he likes to listen to music and visit art galleries for more inspiration.

Gracie Jeffers, Visitor Engagement Representative

Gracie was introduced to Amant by St. Nick’s Alliance for an internship that transitioned into her current role as a Visitor Engagement Representative. She studies at The New School where she attends both Parsons School of Design and Eugene Lang Liberal Arts College in a dual degree program. At the end of the program, she will receive a BFA in Fine Arts and a BA in Psychology.

Jesse Prince, Visitor Engagement Representative

Jesse is a digital marketing assistant and a multi-disciplinary creative based in Brooklyn. He is fascinated with the visual and performing arts, fashion, and design. He also has an interest in comedy and music with a growing record collection consisting primarily of jazz, soul, and comedy albums. Jesse has a B.A. in English from Norfolk State University in Virginia and an A.A.S in Fashion Marketing from Parsons School of Design.

Amara Egenti, Visitor Engagement Representative

Amara is an aspiring comic book artist with a passion for all things creative. Her artwork visualizes the human experience, and often exudes a melancholic feeling. She touches on darker occult undertones within her drawings, music and self-expression, hoping to one day bring like-minded people together with her stories. She took classes at School of Visual Arts for Animation and Character Design. She continues to hone her eclectic mix of hobbies, managing to juggle other aspects of her daily life such as skating, pet grooming and fashion.

Ize Commers, Visitor Engagement Representative

Ize is a visual artist and facilitator interested in reconfigurations of the body, environment, and social structures. They aim to create life-giving processes within arts production and beyond.

Abigail Gordon, Visitor Engagement Representative

Abigail is an emerging artist based in Brooklyn. Her practice centers around worldbuilding, introspection and Afrofuturism. She received her B.A. in art from Spelman College. In her free time she likes to read and spend time with her plants.

Annie Winter, Visitor Engagement Representative

Annie is a student at Parsons School of Design studying Fine Arts and Art and Design History. She is interested in modern and contemporary art, specifically post-war avant-garde movements. Annie loves to both write and create, and she often draws inspiration from the political and historical landscape of the United States. Through her own artwork, she investigates and interrogates her understanding of herself and the world around her. In her spare time, you can find her reading one of the eight or so books she has started but has yet to finish.

Jahkaya Walcott, Vistor Engagement Intern

Jahkaya is a senior at Lyons Community School. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he learned about Amant through the school’s internship program and is interested in learning more about the arts, the different ways people express themselves, and the passions that drive them. In his free time, Jahkaya enjoys cooking, playing games, and listening to music. He is also a fan of anime and manga.