FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 2025 - Milène Guermont Named Chevalier of the Ordre National du Mérite by the French Republic

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 2025

 

Milène Guermont Named Chevalier of the Ordre National du Mérite by the French Republic

 

New York, NY —Artists Talk on Art (ATOA) proudly celebrates our friend and featured artist Milène Guermont, who has been officially appointed Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite (Knight of the National Order of Merit) by decree of the President of France. The insignia will be presented by Agnès Pannier-Runacher, French Minister of Sustainability, on September 17, 2025, at the Ministry of Ecological Transition in Paris.

 This honor recognizes Milène’s pioneering achievements at the intersection of art and engineering—including her invention of Polysensual Concrete, a responsive and tactile material that transforms public space into interactive experience.

 Among her landmark works:

  • PHARES, a luminous sculpture at Place de la Concorde, Paris, pulses in sync with the heartbeat of visitors—and the Eiffel Tower.

  • INSTANTS, a D-Day monument in ultra-high-performance concrete at Utah Beach.

  • MAISON GUERMONT, an inhabitable total artwork built in collaboration with over 120 artisans.

 Milène recently published her first monograph, PLEASE TOUCH (TOUCHEZ SVP), featuring 30 contributors and over 400 illustrations. The book was launched this summer at Artcurial and will be followed by a lecture and signing at Fondation Louis Vuitton on October 3.

 “Milène is one of the rare artists whose work fuses poetic sensitivity with scientific precision. This honor is richly deserved.”

— Chennie Huang, President, Artists Talk on Art

Watch our ATOA interview with Milène Guermont

Visit Milène’s website

A Letter from: Chennie Huang, President of the Board of Directors | Artists Talk On Art- Originally sent to subscribers on July 2, 2025

Dear Friends of ATOA,

I joined the Artists Talk On Art board in August 2024 and was asked by the co-founders to serve as Board President three months later. While I initially hesitated—knowing the extensive work needed to revitalize the organization—I officially stepped into the role in February 2025. What ultimately convinced me was ATOA’s 50-year legacy and the many artists who once spoke on its platform—figures who would later become central to the history of American art.

My Five-Month Strategic Leadership Highlights:

  • Organizational Restructuring: Identified and addressed systemic inefficiencies across brand identity, digital infrastructure, programming, and internal operations—initiating the transformation of a long-standing legacy organization into a streamlined, professionally run institution.

  • Executive Recruitment: Brought on two senior-level board members—significantly elevating ATOA's leadership profile with C-suite expertise from major financial and creative institutions.

  • Team Building: Expanded operational capacity by onboarding specialized team members, establishing clear role definitions and training protocols.

  • Redesigned Programming: Restructured our format for wider viewership, recruited qualified guest curators, and added programming associates to strengthen our curatorial vision.

  • Brand Consistency: Implemented unified visual standards and initiated the launch of a new website in the coming months—ensuring long-term institutional cohesion and sustainability.

  • Digital Transformation: Led a full-scale upgrade of our digital presence, including new technology systems, email infrastructure, and SEO optimization—with measurable progress already underway.

  • Legacy Preservation: Leveraged ATOA’s archives at the Smithsonian Institution to position the organization to continue its historic role in shaping contemporary art discourse.

As we move forward into ATOA’s next chapter, my goal is to preserve the integrity of its rich history while ensuring it is strategically aligned with the needs and sensibilities of today’s art world.

Thank you for being part of this journey.

Kind regards,

President of the Board of Directors, Artists Talk On Art

ATOA News | Smithsonian Archives

Artists Talk On Art Announces Two New Board Members

Cultural organization strengthens leadership with financial and strategic expertise

June 16, 2025 -- New York City

Artists Talk On Art is pleased to announce the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors: Leslie Alba-Rashid, Director of Asset Management at Citi Community Capital, and Vanessa Perry, Global Managing Director at Ogilvy. The appointments were announced by Chennie Huang, President of the Board of Directors.

"These appointments represent a significant strengthening of our board's strategic capabilities," said Huang. "Leslie brings exceptional financial stewardship and community impact expertise, while Vanessa contributes deep experience in digital innovation and brand leadership. Both understand the intersection of culture and commerce that's essential for arts organizations today."

Leslie Alba-Rashid brings two decades of senior leadership experience in financial governance, currently providing strategic oversight for $12.1 billion in impact investments at Citi Community Capital, part of Citigroup. Her Master's in Urban Planning from Columbia University and interdisciplinary background in Geography and Latin American Studies provide crucial perspectives on community engagement and cultural sensitivity. Her proven track record in collaborative relationship-building and innovative funding strategies directly supports the organization's mission and sustainability goals.

Vanessa Perry offers over 20 years of board-level strategic leadership in digital innovation and creative agencies. As Global Managing Director at Ogilvy, she leads growth strategy for the customer experience division, overseeing strategic partnerships, content, and platform initiatives. Her client portfolio includes Amazon, Nike, LVMH, American Express, Spotify, Estée Lauder, and Google. With her background in film and art history, Perry combines cultural fluency with commercial expertise essential for advancing the organization's strategic and creative direction.

Founded in 1974, Artists Talk On Art has created a legacy of over one thousand panels and dialogues, with archives housed at the Smithsonian Institution's Archives of American Art. The organization continues to provide a platform for contemporary art discourse and cultural dialogue.

Contact: info@atoanyc.org

Welcome to the Presidency of the Artists Talk On Art Board of Directors, Chennie Huang!

February 14th, 2025  

For more contact: Doug Sheer at (917) 692-0975 dougsheer@gmail.com

Welcome to the Presidency of the Artists Talk On Art

Board of Directors, Chennie Huang!

February 14, 2025 -- New York City

Cultural and corporate marketing strategist, Chennie Huang, has been elected President of the Artists Talk On Art Board of Directors at a meeting held on February 11th.

Shanghai-born Chennie Huang has a varied background in both corporate brand management, PR and marketing as well as art world and cultural posts that have included: The Ronald S. Lauder Collection, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the New York Historical Society and Phaidon Publishing as well as NBC Universal, Warner Brothers Discovery and Kantar. 

Educated at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts of Tufts University, Boston (B. A. in History of Art and a B. F. A. in Studio Art) and City College of the City University of New York, NYC (M. A. in History of Art).

Huang has visual art interests ranging from Classical Chinese art to contemporary world art. Her family background is also steeped in artistic creativity and science.

"Chennie Huang's many art and cultural experiences as well as extensive corporate marketing skills make her a particularly great fit for us," said Douglas I. Sheer, Artists Talk On Art President, Chairman Emeritus and Co-Founder. "We celebrated our 50th anniversary this past year and Chennie arrived on our board possessing the sophistication, energy and poise we saw could help us grow into our next phase," added Sheer.