While accepting that cultural exchange is hardly a new concept, Astrid (de los Rios) Nishimaki has her own very individual slant on the subject. "My aim is to bring Latin America, Arab countries and Japan closer together through the lingua franca of artists and creators."
Astrid, who was born in Paraguay and is currently based in London, describes her career curve in terms of "diplomacy, journalism and working as a curator after earning a BA (hons) in fine and decorative art at Manchester University."
Living in Japan in the late 1980s, she founded MonteAlto Inc., promoting contemporary art and culture from Japan, the Middle East and Latin America, and helping break down barriers between Japanese and non-Japanese artists under the banner "Tokyo Transmission."