Based between Amsterdam and London, she’s hard to pin down. Bionda works as a trend forecaster, art curator, writer, consultant and moves between worlds with ease. Culture, commerce, art, cities – she reads them all, and writes about where they’re headed. With a background at WGSN and twenty years in corporate product – Nike among them – she has always kept one eye on what’s coming before it arrives.
She describes herself as an eclectic bee. Someone who consults on what people would like to see, need and love in the future of art, culture, style and cities. It’s a broad brief, and she runs with it.
For the past decade she has focused on artists. Not just the work, but the journey behind it. The story an artist wants to tell. She builds spaces for that, often outside the conventional circuit of galleries and museums, at Soho House, Sir Art Studio, Bisou Gallery and beyond. Where art communities form organically and everyone finds their way in, and can enjoy it.
For SMILE, her latest curation at The Hoxton Amsterdam, she brought together six artists around this expression. The one we reach for constantly, in every kind of moment – whether it matches how we actually feel or not. Because we smile through it all. It’s the one thing that keeps us going, whatever we’re carrying.
The works move through colour, texture and feeling. Pink as a language. Wool for the fuzzy and the fierce. Nature for the stare that quiets everything down. And digital icons that somehow still make us smile.
Works by Gregory Robert, Alfhild KĂĽlper, Anita Jolles, Noor van Spaendonck, Eelco Hilgersom and Corine van Voorbergen.
“What makes me smile the most in life is people being kind to one another.”
We’ve asked Bionda a few questions about SMILE, her philosophy, and her go-to spots.
Since your goal is to make art accessible in everyday spaces, is there a piece that has really stayed with you? Why?
1 Lucky 1×2 by Noor. For me, the definition of SMILE, as the pieces are timeless and bring a smile to anyone, at any age.
SMILE brings together six very different artists around one expression. What surprised you most in this process?
Six different artists bring six different perspectives on SMILE. All so different, but they complement each other, from our inner to our outer self.
What makes you SMILE the most?
What makes me smile the most in life is people being kind to one another.
What are your hit-list places Amsterdam?Â
Bisou Gallery, from friends. De L’Europe on a Friday or Saturday afternoon to listen to the piano.Â
A vino in the garden of Pulitzer. A morning coffee by the water at Vessel in my neighbourhood. Soho House for sunset, a classic. And of course, last but not least, the lobby at The Hoxton.
What makes a space truly feel like a place where art belongs?
Where people exist in their natural element, like great lobbies or members’ clubs, where it’s not forced to capture or purchase art. And also galleries that put the artist’s journey first.
Come visit the Hox Gallery to view Smile at Lotti’s Amsterdam Herengracht until September. 2026.
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