Amanda Hyde

I write news and features for the site.

My husband has a long-standing obsession with early 1980s New York, so through him I got interested in Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring and the other artists who showed at Patti Astor's Fun Gallery. I love the way they democratised art and created this cultural explosion of graffiti and music and youth. I wouldn't have been cool enough to join them, though - I suspect I would have been down the road trying to get into Studio 54 or something! As a massive bookworm, I also love Harland Miller’s work and the way that his process has its own narrative. I've promised myself I'll finally read his novel, Slow Down Arthur Stick To Thirty, this year.

Visiting Hang-Up's old premises on a scorching weekend afternoon for the launch of The Art of DMC (by Darryl 'DMC' McDaniels) is something I will never forget. It was the antidote to old-fashioned, stuffy gallery shows with members of Run DMC hanging out, little kids running around (including my own), and people getting their trainers signed! It was such a treat to view art in such a laid-back, informal way. Seeing the new gallery space for the first time during the launch exhibition in 2019 was also a stand-out moment. I'd been told the space was dramatic – but it's impossible to visualise until you see it. The breadth of artists on show was fantastic too.

It's hard to complain about spending my days looking at beautiful pictures and researching artists so I owe huge thanks to Ben for commissioning me! The Hang-Up team makes my job even easier – they are all really enthusiastic, knowledgeable and lovely to work with.