Bringing Visions to Life: WOAH's Isolde Brielmaier on Creativity, Community, and Innovation
Portrait by Naima Green.
By Julia Gamolina
Isolde Brielmaier, PhD, is the Chief Strategy Officer at Work of Art Holdings (WOAH), a female-founded art and culture firm where she leads the company's vision and initiatives at the intersection of art, business, and social impact. With over two decades of experience spanning the private, public, academic, and nonprofit sectors, her expertise has guided brands and organizations through cultural engagement strategies and contemporary art initiatives across the globe.
Previously, Brielmaier served as Deputy Director and Chief Innovation Officer at the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York City. Before that, Brielmaier was Executive Director of Arts, Culture & Community at Westfield World Trade Center. A scholar and practitioner, Brielmaier earned her PhD from Columbia University and is an Associate Professor at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She is the author of I Am Sparkling (2022) and Culture as Catalyst (2020) and regularly contributes to various publications, including Air Mail, where she serves as Editor-at-Large.
JG: You recently joined WOAH as Chief Strategy Officer — congratulations! Tell me about this, and your vision for the organization for 2025.
IB: I am so thrilled to be on board at WOAH and to be working with Michi as we build a dynamic and purpose driven arts and cultural strategy company. We are excited to support and leverage the tremendous talent of artists as well as the important impact that the arts more generally can have within a broad range of sectors outside of the art world.
Art is fueled by creativity which in turn fuels innovation, and we really believe that business and organizations in all sectors can benefit and excel beyond measure by centering these elements and integrating them into their core ethos and thinking.
Now let's go back a little bit — you started out as a dancer! How did this eventually bring you to art history and to Columbia?
I danced for many years — mainly ballet and modern — and this experience gave me a deep grounding in the arts and all things creative as well as discipline, perseverance and focus. I started coming to NYC in my teens to study dance and knew fairly quickly that I would return to NYC for college — the Big Apple offered me the best of many worlds: dance, education, and culture.
“Knowledge is power as they say and it is something upon which you can continually build and grow and that always remains yours.”
I read a wonderful statement from you in Cultured, where you talked about your PhD as insurance. I'd love to hear more on this, and why you pursued the PhD in general.
I went on to pursue my PhD based on my interest in contemporary art and my desire to expand my knowledge base and gain strong credentials in doing so. I have had great mentors and they helped me to become well-aware that obtaining the highest degree, particularly as a Black woman, would afford me freedom to do whatever I wanted and would solidify my position, without question.
Knowledge is power as they say and it is something upon which you can continually build and grow and that always remains yours. And, of course to be able to teach young people and partner with them in their learning journeys is super rewarding!
Tell me about the experiences that led you to the New Museum. I know you were also the consulting director of arts and culture at Westfield World Trade Center. The architecture firm I work for full-time, Ennead, is in One World Trade, so I'm in this context every day. What do you take with you to your new venture from these experiences?
My role at Westfield was a huge turning point in my career because if afforded me the opportunity to work in a highly public yet non-traditional space for presenting art and engaging with diverse audiences. It was also the first private sector role that I held and my colleagues — particularly the women with whom I worked — were so smart and talented. I learned so much in this position — from budgets and strategy to leadership development, engaging with multiple high level stakeholders, and large-scale problem solving.
I started out as a Trustee at the New Museum while in this role at Westfield, and then, during the pandemic, I stepped into the role of Chief Innovation Officer and Deputy Director. All of this work enabled me to further hone my skills and thinking around entrepreneurship and management, as well as a love of working both with and in partnership with people and communities. And perhaps one of the best highlight was the opportunities I had to work with some of the most incredible and committed artists. To be a part of bringing their visions to life was really so meaningful.
Me + You by Suchi Reddy, 2021. Photography by Mariah Miranda.
Looking back at it all, what have been the biggest challenges? How did you both manage through perceived disappointments or setbacks?
Many of the external challenges I have faced have had so much to do with where I have been at internally as a person. Figuring out who I am and then honoring that – paying attention to how I am wired and what makes me tick, has been critical.
This lesson has also included learning how to manage my expectations; to be open and curious if things work out differently that what I was hoping. Outlook and energy are important. I try to sit in gratitude as much as I can, and to be aware of those around me. Checking in with folks and simply asking, “How are you?” or, “Are you ok?” This goes a long way, particularly in this moment.
Who are you admiring now and why?
Elaine Welteroth — like so many of the badass women I know and love, Elaine is a dedicated and compassionate poly-hyphenate. Her new organization birthFUND is truly remarkable and so very important.
Asmeret Behre-Lumax, founder of One Love Community Fridge, works to connect, empower and engage the community through education and providing access to fresh, healthy food with no stigma.
Thelma Golden, Director and Chief Curator, Studio Museum in Harlem, is simply one of the biggest, visionary trail blazers in the contemporary art world and so many of us are walking on the path she helped pave.
Finally, Aurora James is a fashion designer of the sustainable fashion brand Brother Vellies. She is also the founder of the Fifteen Percent Pledge, which challenges the world’s biggest retailers to pledge to commit to economic diversity and equality.
“I think a lot about my daughter; what kind of behavior, action, thought and work am I modeling for her? She will pay her dues in some way I am sure, but they cannot be the same ones that I did!”
What is the impact you’d like to have on the world? What is your core mission? And, what does success in that look like to you?
While showing up as authentically me is a daily commitment. My hope at this stage in life is to keep learning and growing and to always find way to pay things forward — to create platforms for others to grow and excel. Success is not a solo endeavor. For me its about the collective; about finding ways where more and more of us can shine and soar. We can all be assets to one another.
Finally, I think a lot about my daughter; what kind of behavior, action, thought and work am I modeling for her? She will pay her dues in some way I am sure, but they cannot be the same ones that I did! The world – her world – must be better.
Finally, what advice do you have for those starting their career? Would your advice be any different for women?
Be open, curious and ask questions. Know that you are unique and bring your own special skill set. And believe that you deserve your dreams.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.