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Docent is the first AI-powered mobile application to offer a fully-personalized experience for discovering, accessing, and collecting contemporary art.

Our Story, Words From The Founder

Docent's mission to make art collecting an inspiring journey for more people comes in a post-pandemic world, at a time when the art market is undergoing significant changes. As more collectors turn to the internet to browse, discover and acquire art, the traditional brick and mortar galleries are struggling to keep up. In this context, Docent's platform is timely in bridging the gap between art collectors and the contemporary art scene.
Moreover, Docent's technology has the potential to support the art market by creating a more transparent, accessible, and sustainable art ecosystem. By leveraging AI and data science, Docent can help art collectors make informed decisions and empower galleries to reach a wider audience.

“DOCENT'S IMPACT ON THE ART WORLD GOES BEYOND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION. BY SUPPORTING EMERGING TO ESTABLISHED ARTISTS AND GALLERIES, THE PLATFORM CAN CREATE A POSITIVE RIPPLE EFFECT THROUGHOUT THE ART SCENE, FOSTERING CREATIVITY, INNOVATION, AND INCLUSIVITY.”

As a life-long art lover and collector, sharing my passion on a global scale became a priority during the 2020 pandemic. While collecting art individually had been fulfilling, the audience was limited. Opening a gallery 10 years earlier had definitely been a step forward, but still felt circumscribed. That's where Docent made sense.

To bring the vision to life, I collaborated with Mathieu Rosenbaum, a multi-awarded mathematician, professor at Ecole Polytechnique in Paris. Together, we blended our expertise in art and data science to create a "Spotify”-like platform for art enthusiasts and collectors.
Docent started with 100 founding gallery members, offering an unparalleled selection of artworks and artists meticulously curated from galleries spanning 30 countries and 5 continents. All our artists have exhibited at top-tier venues worldwide. Our platform provides a varied and dynamic selection of works that truly reflects the richness and diversity of the art world, thanks to partnerships we foster with galleries that function as incubators in their respective regions, actively shaping the art scene of tomorrow.

”UNLIKE OTHER ALGORITHMS, DOCENT DOESN'T CONFINE USERS WITHIN THEIR OWN ECHO CHAMBER; INSTEAD, IT INVITES THEM TO DISCOVER ART BEYOND IT.
THE CONTEMPORARY ART ECOSYSTEM IS CONTINUALLY EXPANDING IN A MYRIAD OF WAYS, WITH EXPONENTIAL GROWTH IN THE DIGITAL SPACE. OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO CREATE A VIRTUOUS CYCLE IN THE ART MARKET BY EMPOWERING EXISTING COLLECTORS, HELPING A NEW GENERATION OF COLLECTORS ARISE, BRINGING GALLERIES AND ARTISTS MORE REVENUE, AND SUPPORTING CREATION”.

Helene Nguyen Ban

Cut Out The Noise

Personalized & Curated
Combining our teams’ expertise in art and AI, we offer an unprecedented and ever-growing selection of 10,000+ artworks meticulously curated from over 100 galleries spanning 30 countries and 5 continents, right at your fingertips. Users define their preferences, and Docent provides personalized recommendations for artworks that they will love and want to collect. Our platform's uniqueness lies in its meticulous match-making process, connecting collectors with a carefully curated selection of top artists. This ensures that exclusive offerings align with discerning demand. Our tailored recommendations evolve with the users’ tastes, empowering them to discover more, learn more and appreciate more art.
Collect with Confidence
With Docent, art enthusiasts can explore and collect artworks from a diverse range of mediums, styles, and cultural influences, empowering them to engage with the vibrant and ever-evolving contemporary art scene. Whether users discover emerging talents or acquire works from established artists, Docent offers a seamless and trustworthy platform for art, connections, and limitless discovery that fosters meaningful connections between collectors, artists, and galleries.

Eliminate Bias And Embrace Diversity

Science behind it
With Computer Vision Technology trained on 10,000 artworks manually annotated by art historians, we developed over 40 criteria to assess the aesthetic patterns and visual characteristics of a work of art, specifically designed for the nuances of contemporary art. In combination with Natural Language Processing (NLP), our algorithm reads millions of text-based information in order to decrypt and capture the themes and topics an artist might engage with in their practice. While we acknowledge that a single work of art is a node in a complex web of signifiers and attributes, Docent’s algorithms form associations between artworks based on multiple perspectives and attempts to map the social, cultural and aesthetic complexities that exist in and around a work of art.
Unbiased & Inclusive
Unlike most social media and entertainment platforms, we make recommendations based on each user’s unique inclinations, rather than comparing them to others. Our algorithm breaks free from confining users within their own echo chambers, instead inviting them to explore and discover art beyond their familiar horizons.

Designed For And Transformed By Our Community

Strong Partnerships
Docent has partnered from the get-go with artists, galleries, and institutions that are shaping the contemporary art scene on a global scale, and will leave a lasting mark in the history of art. Our collection, which already exceeds 15,000 artworks by over 1,000 artists from 100 galleries across 30 countries and 5 continents, is just the beginning. It continues to grow every day. With such an expanding ecosystem, users gain access to a diverse and continuously evolving range of art inventory. Docent goes beyond the art market. Through our privileged collaborations with galleries, institutions, curators, and artists shaping the contemporary art landscape, we are active participants in the cultural conversation, pushing artistic boundaries and expression. These partnerships (Goldsmiths CCA, Gasworks, Aware and many more..) form the backbone of our network, helping us offer an authentic platform to connect users with the diverse and dynamic voices that infuse creativity in our society. Choosing Docent means joining a community that values artistic integrity, cultural significance, and transformative experiences. The integrated world of contemporary art beyond its market confines.
Online to Offline
Our one-of-a-kind advantage lies in our ability to drive traffic towards galleries, institutions and museums that we admire. At Docent, we understand the importance of nurturing and supporting the evolving art landscape, rather than seeking to change it. Our objective remains clear: to help bridge the gap between the expansive online world and the transformative power of the offline art experience.

The Team

Helene Nguyen-Ban and Mathieu Rosenbaum assembled a team of AI Research Scientists, and Art Market experts to create Docent. With a now dedicated 20+ professionals spread across Paris, London, New York, and Hong Kong, Docent tackles the challenges of knowing what to buy and where to buy it.
Helene Nguyen-Ban
Helene Nguyen-Ban
CEO

Founder and CEO of Docent, Helene Nguyen-Ban’s first foray into contemporary art as a collector was driven by the same curiosity and passion that would later chart her path as an esteemed gallerist and a start-up founder: she brings years of expert insight and research from the field as well as a boundless passion for innovation in art. On top of her current role at Docent, she sits on the International Council of Tate, the Asia-Pacific Committee at Centre Pompidou, Palais de Tokyo, and the AWARE Prize jury, and serves as Chair of the board of Fluxus Art Projects. She supports cutting-edge companies in the sectors of health, education, and sustainability, leveraging technology for real-world change.

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Mathieu Rosenbaum
Mathieu Rosenbaum
CSO

Mathieu Rosenbaum is a professor in Applied Mathematics and acting Chair in Machine Learning and Systematic Methods at Ecole Polytechnique in Paris. His research spans health, sports, finance, and the arts. He received the European Research Council Grant in 2015, the Louis Bachelier Prize in 2020 and the Quant of the Year award in 2021, for outstanding contributions within the field of Applied Mathematics. As Chief Scientific Officer of Docent, Mathieu applies scientific knowledge to art, providing personalized recommendations, eliminating biases, and connecting users with art they will genuinely love.

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Our Background

HEC
CentraleSupélec
Ecole du Louvre
SciencesPo
Polytechnique
Inria
Louis Vuitton
L'Oréal
Christie's
Sotheby's
Freshfields
VnH
BNP PARIBAS
Axa
artnet
FLUXUS

Our Artists

All our artists have exhibited at top-tier venues worldwide. These collaborations with galleries, museums and artists exemplify the power of uniting passionate organizations and individuals in the pursuit of a shared mission. By joining forces, we create a dynamic platform that amplifies diverse voices, cultivates meaningful connections, and celebrates the richness and depth of contemporary art.

Our Galleries

Docent is proud to have been able to partner from the get-go with galleries and artists that are shaping the contemporary art scene on a global scale. We are poised to offer an ever-expanding collection of over 10,000 artworks from more than 1,000 artists across 100 partner galleries, spanning 30 countries and 5 continents. Our growing ecosystem gives our users access to an ever-expanding range of art inventory.
Our Partners
These collaborations exemplify the power of partnerships, uniting institutions, galleries, and artists with the shared goal of providing an accessible art experience through the Docent app. Our objective is also to bridge the gap between the online world and the transformative power of the offline art experience. Together, we shape a platform where art thrives, connections are made, and the joy of artistic discovery knows no bounds.

Institutional Partners

Docent is proud to have earned the trust of esteemed museums and institutions across the globe, spanning 5 continents and 30 countries. These privileged partnerships have formed the backbone of our network and ecosystem, setting us apart from the rest. Our unique advantage lies in our ability to drive traffic towards institutions and museums that we deeply admire. At Docent, our mission is clear and impactful: to bridge the gap between the online world and the transformative power of the offline art experience. We understand the importance of supporting the evolving art landscape, rather than seeking to change it.
AND MANY MORE

Curatorial Partners

Goldsmiths CCA
Goldsmiths CCA
LONDON, UK

Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary Art is a dynamic and forward-thinking institution dedicated to contemporary arts. With a bold curatorial approach, the exhibition program showcases a diverse range of artistic expressions, embracing new commissions, historical presentations, survey exhibitions, and long-term research projects. The presentations are carefully tailored to the unique spaces of the institution, ranging from top-lit white cubes to a converted iron-lined Victorian water tank.
Goldsmiths offers insightful artist biographies exclusively crafted for Docent. This collaboration showcases our shared commitment to enriching the art experience and fostering emerging talent.

Gasworks
Gasworks
LONDON, UK

Established in 1994, Gasworks is a non-profit organization working at the forefront of contemporary visual art to foster a vibrant exchange between UK and international artistic practices and dialogues. Gasworks provides studios for London-based artists, commissions emerging UK-based and international artists to present their first major exhibitions in the UK. These residencies serve as invaluable platforms for foreign artists to conduct research, cultivate ideas, and develop new works. Gasworks takes center stage on Docent’s home page with a special emphasis on artist videos.

V.O. Curations
V.O. Curations
LONDON, UK

V.O Curations is an arts organization committed to supporting emerging and underrepresented artists through an innovative and critically-engaged program. Founded in 2018 by the visionary duo of Zina Vieille and Nnamdi Obiekwe, V.O Curations firmly believes that the act of curation encompasses every facet of their comprehensive program, including residencies, exhibitions, events, publications, and studio spaces, all executed with utmost care and thoughtfulness. V.O Curations strives to create an inclusive space encouraging critical dialogue and artistic exploration, promoting the perspectives that have historically been marginalized. They work to make a lasting impact on the art world by amplifying the voices of emerging talents and fostering a vibrant and inclusive artistic ecosystem.
By sharing their works on the platform, V.O Curations extends the opportunity for art enthusiasts to discover and even acquire select artworks via Docent.

AWARE
AWARE
PARIS, FRANCE

Archives of Women Artists, Research and Exhibitions (AWARE) is a non-profit organization, established in 2014 and led by curator and art historian, Camille Morineau, known for her expertise in women artists. At the core of AWARE's mission lies a profound aspiration—to rectify the historical imbalances within the art world and rewrite the narrative of art history by placing women artists on an equal pedestal alongside their male counterparts. For far too long, their invaluable contributions have been overlooked, and it is high time to bring their works into the spotlight. Through extensive research, rigorous exhibitions, and comprehensive documentation, AWARE strives to amplify the voices and narratives of women artists, forging a path towards a future where artistic excellence knows no gender boundaries.
AWARE and Docent collaborate seamlessly to showcase the works of women artists on the app. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to promoting inclusivity and rewriting the narrative of art history.

Radicants
Radicants
PARIS, FRANCE

Radicants is an international curatorial cooperative, collaborating with a network of independent professionals. With a profound passion for the arts, they conceive, produce, and curate art exhibitions and offer expert advisory services to support and guide curatorial projects or programs. Nestled in the heart of Paris, Radicants maintains a permanent exhibition space for emerging and established artists to showcase their work, serving as a dynamic hub for artistic expression and cultural engagement. Radicants strives to push boundaries and challenge traditional artistic paradigms.
Radicants’ expertise in curatorial practice shines through as they offer valuable advice and curatorial highlights. This collaboration ensures that users of the app benefit from curated insights and a deeper understanding of the artistic vision behind the showcased works.

Press

AND MANY MORE

The contemporary art ecosystem is continually expanding in a myriad of ways, with exponential growth in the digital space. Docent’s ultimate goal is to create a virtuous cycle in the art market by empowering existing collectors, helping a new generation of collectors arise, bringing galleries and artists more revenue, and supporting creation.
We hope to make art collecting an inspiring journey for more people.

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