Cartellino: A Mission to Make Art Personal

Cartellino redefines art engagement in the digital and physical spaces.

By Art+ Magazine
January 10, 2025

Cartellino’s story began in 2019 as a digital-only platform with a mission to redefine the way people engage with art. While physical galleries have traditionally been the primary spaces for encountering art, the team behind Cartellino was curious about how digital platforms could foster new forms of interaction. They wanted to see how a virtual space could break the barriers between art and its audience, making it accessible and relevant in a fast-evolving, digital-first world. This curiosity led to the creation of Cartellino’s online shop, offering a streamlined art acquisition experience, and its digest, a platform for critical discussions on art and contemporary culture.

At its core, Cartellino is about breaking down the walls of traditional art engagement. Its mission is simple: to show that art can be both casual and intelligent, accessible and thought-provoking. The goal is to allow art to be a personal experience that is not weighed down by traditional notions of connoisseurship.

Installation shots of Naburok’s solo exhibition last July 2024, Call an ambulance but not for me.

Installation shots of The Little Paper Show, the inaugural exhibition of Cartellino’s physical space last February 2024.

While Cartellino began as an online-only platform, it has quickly expanded its reach by inaugurating a physical space at Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong in February 2024. The move from digital to physical space marks a significant evolution in the platform’s mission and is a response to the growing need for tangible, immersive art experiences.

Although Cartellino has successfully fostered online engagement, some aspects of art simply require proximity and the ability to experience a piece up close. This new physical space allows clients to interact with art in ways that digital screens cannot fully replicate. It also provides a venue where people can see works in person, ask questions, and discuss their preferences before committing to a purchase, while still enjoying the convenience of the seamless online acquisition process.