In Conversation with Esther Kim Varet

Julia Halperin is an arts and culture journalist, editor, and co-founder of the Burns Halperin Report, the largest report of its kind tracking equity and representation in the art world. She is a contributor to the New York Times, the Financial Times, and W magazine, among other publications. She also serves as editor at large of CULTURED magazine and a contributing editor to The Art Newspaper, where she writes a column about changes and challenges in American art museums. From 2017 to 2022, she was executive editor of Artnet News.

Esther Kim Varet, founder of the contemporary art gallery Various Small Fires (VSF), is a cultural leader and community advocate running for Congress in California’s 40th District. Raised in Southern California by Korean immigrant parents, she built VSF into an internationally recognized platform with locations in Los Angeles, Dallas, and Seoul, dedicated to amplifying diverse voices and fostering dialogue on justice, identity, and equity. With degrees from Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania, Esther brings both academic rigor and entrepreneurial spirit to her work. Now, as a congressional candidate, she is committed to expanding economic opportunity, protecting reproductive rights, strengthening public education, and tackling the climate crisis with bold, community-driven solutions. A mother of two, Esther believes in the power of creativity, diversity, and civic engagement to shape a more just and vibrant future for all Californians.