About | garethharr

About Me

Journalism

I am a London-based established freelance journalist covering all aspects of the art world and culture sphere, from museum developments to art market news. I have contributed numerous articles to the Financial Times since 2009. Articles have covered topics such as restitution and the Venice Biennale. I have also written for The New York Times, Vogue, Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Independent, The Independent on Sunday, Apollo Magazine, Museums Journal and Frieze.

I am chief contributing editor at The Art Newspaper; every day, I write exclusive art world stories for The Art Newspaper newsletter, garnering more than a million hits last year. I also co-founded The Art Newspaper Book Club in 2020, launching an accompanying newsletter which includes features, Q&As and extracts. For Insta Live ‘Book Club’ author interviews, go to YouTube.

Prior to pursuing a freelance career, I was deputy editor at The Art Newspaper from 2005 to 2009. I am a contributor (diary and news) to the daily newspapers produced by The Art Newspaper at the following art fairs: Art Basel, Art Basel Miami Beach, Frieze Art Fair and Frieze New York.

Books and research

My book, Censored Art Today, was published September 2022 ("Hot Topics", Lund Humphries/Sotheby's Institute of Art). Chapters focus on the suppression of LGBTQ+ artists in Poland, Turkey and Brazil and the issue of Western museums and “cancel culture”.

Harriet Lloyd-Smith at Wallpaper writes: 'Harris’ superbly researched book poses critical questions about the trajectory of free speech, free expression and ultimately, who gets to decide”). I discussed the book on a number of podcasts including The Week in Art (The Art Newspaper) and Reading the Art World (Megan Fox Kelly).

I am working on another book in the "Hot Topics" series, entitled Towards the Ethical Art Museum, which will examine ethical issues in the museum sector, from funding to decolonisation (due to be published early 2025).

Phd and university teaching

My Masters qualification is in Romance Languages and Literatures (Italian/French, University College London). My doctoral thesis compares the works of artist Umberto Boccioni and poet Blaise Cendrars (Royal Holloway, University of London, 2020). I am currently a visiting lecturer at Kingston University, UK (MA Art and Business). I am fluent in French and Italian with a working knowledge of German and Spanish.