We give the opportunity to young artists, says co-founder of the Artisème Gallery, Shirin Rahman

Before Shirin Rahman came to Prague from her native Turkmenistan, she studied in London, where she gained basic knowledge of marketing. This she developed at Anglo-American University. “Anglo-American University seemed like a good option, and it didn't disappoint. I liked that it was a small university with 20-30 people in a class that is located in this magical city with all its breathtaking architecture,” said Shirin Rahman.

Shirin had always wanted to go into the marketing world, but she didn’t know what exact industry she wanted to be in until she met Marek Vaculčík, her classmate at Anglo-American University. “We quickly became friends, and a few years later, he told me that he wanted to open a space at the palace next to the former Anglo-American University campus,” says Shirin, for whom the journey with Artisème – a sales gallery offering the best of Czech design – has begun. “Marek shared his vision of opening a space where Prague’s foreigners could indulge in artisan craft without it being called a ‘shop’ or ‘gallery’. He asked me if I was up for an adventure, and, at that point, I was already in love with the vision and couldn't imagine saying no.”

The initial idea of Artisème was to introduce visitors of Prague to local craftsmanship and design. The founders of Artisème quickly learned that Czechs love exploring the busy streets of Malá Strana, and a lot of them have become their loyal customers since the opening back in summer 2018. “We carry a lot of unique pieces and collaborate with designers to create exclusive objects for Artisème. Czech people can always find something special at Artisème.” The majority of customers come to them when they are looking for unique objects to decorate their homes or please their loved ones with something special and timeless.

The concept of the shop is mainly aimed at emerging artists or students. The founders tried to create a platform for them to promote their work. “Many great artists simply do not have the time or resources necessary to market their products. They are, understandably so, too busy focusing on design and creation,” adds Shirin, who sees discovering new talent as the greatest purpose of Artisème.

Shirin also explains that Artisème doesn’t want to be just an art reseller. The founders want to collaborate with individual designers and be equal partners with them.

Shirin sees her professional future mainly in continuing what she loves, finding more undiscovered talents, and finding new homes for each object that Artisème curates. After successfully graduating from the Anglo-American University in Prague, she’s not afraid to expand her business abroad. And although she doesn't see this future as realistic yet, she would like to open a design shop in her native Turkmenistan someday.