Meet The Curator: Darin Balaban
By John Vochatzer
With Photography By David Schmitz
To mark our gallery’s third anniversary, we’re excited to introduce Darin Balaban in his debut as a curator. Darin’s been a friend and a frequent exhibitor with us over the past couple years, and when he wanted to try his hand at curation, we knew he would be a great fit. His show, Here & There, brings together eight artists—friends and collaborators from across the country—for a dynamic mix of pieces in various mediums that feel raw, honest, and in many ways interconnected.
This interview also kicks off our overdue Meet the Curator series, spotlighting some of the many voices shaping the Bay Area’s art scene. Darin reflects on the process of bringing this show to life, from the creative freedom we offered him to the collective spirit of his artist community. For him, Here & There isn’t just a collection of artworks; it’s a convergence of personalities and visions that reflect years of shared experiences and mutual support.
Darin’s first go at curating brought its challenges, but his unfiltered approach made it worth it, capturing the energy of a close-knit group making things happen on their own terms. With Here & There setting the tone, we’re looking forward to what he has planned next—including an upcoming show in San Francisco that’s sure to push the boundaries even further.
Interview
Hey Darin! Can you tell us a bit about who you are as an artist and what inspired you to get into exhibit curation?
Waddup! I am Darin Balaban (b.1990) an artist based in San Francisco, CA with a background in skateboarding and muralism. I have been creating art my whole life in different capacities and started creating full-time about 5 years ago. I was inspired by the people around me and how diverse they are in both their creative styles and lifestyles. The people I surround myself with tend to be from all walks of life and backgrounds mostly with art being the common thread .
I have been wanting to curate for a while but never felt that there was a “right fit” or an opportunity that felt like it would allow me to appropriately portray what I had envisioned for a group show. When I spoke with Moth Belly their vote of confidence and their willingness to let me run things at my own speed (with proper guidance) was super enticing.
Everyone involved in the show has the commonality of being in an art collective that helps uplift one another. I believe in each of them even though they are at varying stages of their art careers. Some of the artists are veterans in the art game while some have had fewer opportunities to show their work. The artist’s backgrounds range from being professional architects, scholars, business owners, skateboarders, graffiti writers, non-profit organizers and a plethora of other equally interesting titles and accomplishments. It was exciting to showcase them all in one space where all their work would converge to create a beautiful juxtaposition of works harmoniously existing together.
Your first curated exhibit, Here & There, is running through October and the first half of November 2024 here at Moth Belly. Can you share the inspiration behind bringing this group of artists together?
I thought it would be cool to have this seemingly disparate group of artists all showing in one setting. It’s an added bonus that all the artists involved know one another as well which adds a sincerity to both the works and the bonds inherently apparent when all the works are shown together. From Jack Graydon’s use of non-objective muted colors and symbolism, Kris Kanaly’s whimsical interpretations of landscapes, Bud Snow’s sparkly surrealism, Termeh’s abstract expressionism, Glaboe’s raw yet refined sculpture-like works, Berk’s collages of movement, Grisha’s subtle and confident line-work to Silent’s meticulously detailed visions; each artist is vastly different but all connect through a purity of expression that is hard to put into words—it’s an energy and a harmony.
“Boob Chamber,” 10”x8” Oil on canvas. 2024. By Silent.
Most of the artists in this exhibit are not only working artists but also connected through friendships and other ties. Can you talk about how everyone knows each other and what it was like getting them all together from across the country for the opening night?
We’re all in an art collective together where we speak constantly via calls, texts, DMs etc. We help each other out by giving feedback, sharing ideas and opportunities and just helping each other out on a personal level—we’re all like a chosen family as corny as that sounds, it’s true. I know everyone’s kids, wives, darkest secrets (half-kidding).
Getting everyone together was quite a task—making sure everyone’s work came on time, flights were booked and so on, but everyone honestly came through and didn’t make it too difficult to wrangle them especially considering we had people coming from New York, Mexico City and Oklahoma.
It’s really neat to see how everyone has inspired one another, some in more obvious ways and some in more subtle nuances.
Graffiti also seems to be a common thread among many of the artists in this show. How does graffiti influence or tie into this exhibit?
The majority of the artists have dabbled or have been heavily involved in playing the name game to varying degrees. I have, allegedly, spent an inordinate amount of time spray painting various surfaces with our noms de plume and have made some of my fondest memories committing artistic vandalism with everyone in the show.
However, I made the conscious effort to not make graffiti a focal point but it’s fairly prevalent in some of the works.
One of my favorite parts of curating is seeing how works unexpectedly play off each other. Were there any surprising moments like this for you in Here & There?
One of the most pleasant surprises for me was seeing how well Termeh and Jack’s larger pieces worked together as an impromptu triptych. The juxtaposition of both their styles was super rad. The way the black and white section seemed to flow so seamlessly, almost like a single installment, was extremely satisfying to watch come to life.
As a first-time curator, what were the biggest challenges you faced? Anything you learned or would approach differently next time?
A lot more than I expected! I love my homies and they were honestly fairly easy to work with. Some deadlines were missed but the onus was on me. I’ll be the first to admit that I underestimated the amount of work, time and energy it takes to curate a show. Even the most seemingly small tasks are a big undertaking—for example writing out all of the price tags took a few hours.
Next time I curate, I am going to make sure to be more communicative and staying ahead of timelines by being proactive and not reactive. Also, being super intentional about my vision and not straying from that at all. Here & There came out absolutely fantastic, do not get me wrong, but if I’m being completely candid, I think I tried to satisfy too many people at once and not stick my guns. Next show, I am standing firmly on my two feet and being pretty unforgiving on making any changes that impede on my vision for a show.
A unique aspect of this show is the section featuring black-and-white pieces you requested from each artist. What was the inspiration behind this?
I thought it would be a cool idea to have each artist make a piece with limitations while also adding a cohesive element to the show. Whenever I am personally given parameters, it has an interesting effect of letting me be more creative by avoiding the paradox of choice. Personally as an artist, I tend to get option paralysis that leads to insecurity and second-guessing, prolonging the creation of the actual piece.
You mentioned another curatorial project coming up at a San Francisco restaurant in the near future. Can you tell us a bit about what you have planned for that?
It’s very much in its infancy but it should be pretty damn cool—drinks, a tasting menu, a photo booth—more details to come. I can say that I am excited about the potential lineup of artists, it will be sometime in the beginning of the upcoming year and if this first event is successful, it has the potential to become a seasonal show happening multiple times a year.
“Galactic Adobe #456,” 12”x12” Acrylic Painting on Panel. 2024. By Kris Kanaly (Pyramid Guy)
Do you have any future ambitions as a curator or ideas you’d like to bring to life?
I’d definitely like to curate more! As far as ambitions, just make more cool and interesting shit with people who don’t suck. Hopefully this keeps growing and I’ll be able to put on all my homies, favorite artists and make some innovative shows happen.
