Ellen Mara De Wachter is a writer based in London. Her writing has featured in a range of publications, including Frieze, Art Quarterly, Art Monthly, The World of Interiors and The White Review. De Wachter’s book ‘Co-Art: Artists on Creative Collaboration’ (Phaidon) explores the phenomenon of collaboration in the visual arts and its potential in society at large. It includes a historical survey of artistic co-production and co-authorship as well as chapters on 25 international contemporary co-art groups. Her writing is included ‘Great Women Artists’ (2019) and several medium-specific anthologies published by Phaidon. She has contributed essays and interviews to exhibition catalogues about the work of artists including Daphne Wright, Fiona Tan, Nastja Säde Rönkkö, Melanie Manchot, Rachel Maclean and Sora Kim. De Wachter has taught widely, including at Central Saint Martins, Royal College of Art, London College of Communication, Royal Academy Schools, Goldsmiths College, Brighton University and Newcastle University. In 2013-15 she was Curator of Public Collection Development at the Contemporary Art Society, where she was responsible for CAS’s acquisitions scheme for museums across the UK. Prior to that, she worked at various arts organisations in London, including the Barbican Art Gallery and the British Museum. De Wachter mentors artists and writers through various publicly funded creative development schemes.

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