Lonti Ebers, Founder and CEO

Lonti Ebers is a long-time art collector and supporter of contemporary art. She established Amant to create studios and exhibition spaces that would encourage artistic development and experimentation free of the financial burden and administrative confines that typically accompany art practice in New York. 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.

Ruth Estévez, Director and Chief Curator

Ruth Estévez is a curator and stage designer. Her research work focuses on artistic practices that explore how the spoken and written language operates within the visual arts, contemporary culture and politics. She was the co-curator of the 34th São Paulo Biennial (2021) and from 2018 to 2020 she was senior curator-at-large at the Rose Art Museum in Waltham, and curator of the performance program at MACBA in Barcelona. She was Redcat Gallery Director in Los Angeles and Chief Curator at the Carrillo Gil Museum in Mexico City where she also founded LIGA a space for architecture and public art.

Nick Pilato, Chief Operating Officer

Nick Pilato‘s ethos and approach to work and life were forged in the cauldron of self-discipline, collaborative leadership, and intense curiosity. He has over seven years of operational experience in art institutions across New York, most recently as the Director of Operations at Greene Naftali Gallery. Nick holds an MFA from the Mason Gross School of the Arts.

Sarah Demeuse, Head of Publications and Communications

Sarah has a background in literary and curatorial studies. Since 2010, Sarah has edited and co-edited numerous artist monographs, anthologies, and websites. She is the creator of podcast dos and co-writer of Name Takes, a podcast series with Kunstinstituut Melly. Between 2019-2020, Sarah was strategist-at-large at acclaimed design studio Wkshps. Sarah has taught at Barnard College, Columbia University, and the School of Visual Arts.

Isabella Nimmo, Associate Curator

Isabella Nimmo is an organizer of artistic projects. Prior to Amant, she was Assistant Curator of Public Programs at the Tate in London and Producer of IdeasCity at the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York. She holds degrees from the London School of Economics and New York University. A social historian in another life, Isabella is especially interested in works that incorporate historiographical elements and allow for new ways of understanding and experiencing the past.

Patricia Margarita Hernández, Associate Curator of Learning and Public Engagement

Patricia is a curator and researcher with a background is 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.

Rebeca Navarro, Head of Visitor Engagement and Bookstore Manager

Rebeca is a museum educator. Born and raised in Mexico, she is a former actress and teacher but most of all a proud Latina. She holds an MA in Contemporary Art and the Market from Christie’s Education, NY, and an MA in Museología (Museum Studies) from Instituto Iberoamericano de Museología. She worked at The People’s Studio at MoMA, engaging with diverse audiences.

Hannah Marks, Executive Assistant and Special Events Coordinator

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.

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.

Dylan Gamboa, Residency and Production Coordinator

Dylan is an arts worker, painter, and sculptor who supports the residency and public programs at Amant. Before joining Amant, they facilitated curatorial projects for the Center for Afrofuturist Studies, an artist residency program for artists of color, and supported the higher arts education programs at Rutgers BFA Film and CalArt’s MA in Aesthetics and Politics program, their alma mater. Their practice finds a home in the marriage between art-making and liberation, prioritizing decolonized, queered structures for arts engagement.

Eda Li, Design and Communications Coordinator

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.

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.

Melissa Inéz Rodríguez, Visitor Engagement Coordinator

Melissa has an immense love for the arts and the built environment, which stemmed from having grown up in New York. She has worked in several art institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and she is currently finishing her BA in Art History at Queens College.

Colleen Stonebrook, Visitor Engagement Representative and Education Facilitator

Colleen is a recent graduate from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Art Education. They consider art-making and viewing as a way to build a sense of home for the individual, and a sense of togetherness for the community.

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.

Jesús Charris, Visitor Engagement Representative

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.

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.