ArtisDomus · Polina Surina · Qualifications
Qualifications and competencies
Polina Surina holds a PhD in Economics. She took the Oxford Executive Programme in Real Estate and studied contemporary art, art business and art curation at Sotheby’s Institute of Art. She has taught at university and writes on art, architecture, design and the economics of culture.
Published by ArtisDomus, written by Polina Surina.
Qualifications
She trained in economics, real estate and the art market.
Polina Surina holds a PhD in Economics and took the Oxford Executive Programme in Real Estate. At Sotheby’s Institute of Art she studied contemporary art and art business, as well as art curation. She has taught at university, where she was also deputy head of department.
She works as a strategic advisor on private collections, hospitality, real estate and cultural placemaking. She also writes for international publications on art, architecture, design and the economics of culture. In London she co-curated the AKI collection at One Cavendish Square.
- Doctorate
- PhD in Economics.
- Executive education
- Oxford Executive Programme in Real Estate.
- Art market
- Sotheby’s Institute of Art: Contemporary Art and Art Business; Art Curation.
- University
- Former university lecturer and deputy head of department.
- Advisory
- Strategic advisor on private collections, hospitality, real estate and cultural placemaking.
- Writing
- Writes for international publications on art, architecture, design and the economics of culture.
Competencies
Her advice covers the four areas of the practice.
- Real estate and hospitality
- Advice to developers on cultural identity and long-term positioning. Placemaking and public art for mixed-use developments. Collections for hotels and residences.
- Luxury and brands
- Partnerships with contemporary artists. Cultural programmes for flagship destinations. Private salons and collector events.
- Private capital and collections
- Collection strategy and development. Advice on strategic purchases. Stewardship and governance: how the collection is looked after and run.
- Foundations and legacy
- Succession planning for collections and artists’ estates. Whether a foundation is worth setting up. Partnerships with institutions.
In print
She co-curated the AKI collection in London.
On 17 October 2025, House of Coco named Dr Polina Surina and Virginie Puertolas Syn as the curators of the AKI collection at One Cavendish Square, London.
AKI, One Cavendish Square · Case study: the collection, the two works made for it and photographs of the works in place.
Sources
- House of Coco, “Frieze Week 2025”, Lauren Kate Hughes, 17 October 2025