Curator Ekaterina Juskowski: Hydra Art Residency
Ekaterina Juśkowski is the founder and curator of the Hydra Art Residency at the Old Carpet Factory, an international artist‑in‑residence program housed in a historic 18th‑century mansion on the Greek island of Hydra. Known for her vision at the intersection of contemporary art, cultural preservation, and artistic experimentation, she has transformed the Old Carpet Factory into a destination for leading and emerging artists worldwide.
Juśkowski brings to the residency a multidisciplinary background in social science, cultural programming, and community‑based art initiatives. She has built a reputation as a producer and organizer of artistic platforms that explore themes of identity, migration, and social change. Her practice consistently champions artists whose work pushes boundaries, engages critically with place, and reflects on the complexities of the modern world.
Since founding the Art Residency at the Old Carpet Factory in 2019, Juśkowski, together with music producer Stephan Colloredo‑Mansfeld, owner of the Old Carpet Factory and her partner in developing the residency—has hosted painters, writers, musicians, filmmakers, performers, and interdisciplinary practitioners, inviting them to respond to Hydra’s unique history and architectural resonance. Their collaboration blends Juśkowski’s curatorial vision with Colloredo‑Mansfeld’s deep knowledge of local culture and his dedication to preserving Hydra’s distinctive spirit.
She oversees the residency’s creative programming, international partnerships, and annual curatorial direction, developing thematic frameworks inspired by the island’s cultural legacy, the building’s architectural character, and the broader dialogues shaping contemporary art today. Under her leadership, the residency has evolved into a process‑driven laboratory for experimentation, collaboration, and site‑responsive creation.
Through her stewardship and her creative partnership with Colloredo‑Mansfeld, Juśkowski has both preserved an important heritage site and reactivated it as a living center of artistic production, strengthening Hydra’s presence on the global arts landscape.
