Rita Pinto

Vanity Projects is a luxury concept that merges a high-end nail art atelier with video art programming. Our vision is to re-shape the way patrons perceive and expense video art by placing it in an engaging environment. Founded by independent curator, Rita de Alencar Pinto in 2009, Vanity Projects first began as a pop-up, organizing itself in the homes and studios of visual artists, friends, and art aficionados. Vanity Projects quickly received offers to present at art fairs, fashion events, museums, and cultural institutions. In January 2013, MoMA PS1 invited Vanity Projects to do a three-month pop-up within the Confettisystems installation, held in the museum’s duplex. It was at this time that Pinto developed the concept of the artist-in-residence program. Offering nail artists the chance to exhibit their talents in a new environment, the program coincided with the salon’s brick and mortar debut in Manhattan’s Lower East Side in July 2013. Since then Vanity Projects has hosted over twenty-five international nail artists from London to Miami, and presented video programs featuring top contemporary video artists and international curators. Since opening Vanity Projects has appeared in over 50 publications, including being named ‘Best of New York’ by both Allure and New York Magazines. In addition to editorial spreads, our artists have assisted and lead runways shows at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York and Miami Swim. Vanity Projects has been invited to participate in pop-ups at the Pulizer Foundation in St. Louis, The Brooklyn Museum, The Aldrich Museum, Los Angeles Contemporary Art Fair, NADA Miami Beach, Sculpture Center and the Aspen Art Museum. In May 2015, Vanity Projects opened its second location in Miami, Florida.