In this episode of WAS MIT KUNST, Johann König speaks with Pasquale Marino, one of the founders of MAE, a new app dedicated to connecting people through art and culture.

Marino’s journey led him from a background in economics into the art world, driven by a desire to make cultural experiences more open, social, and meaningful. Together, they discuss how MAE is reimagining what it means to engage with art: moving beyond the idea of collecting and ownership toward experiencing, supporting, and joining artists on their creative journeys.

They discuss why in-person encounters with art remain irreplaceable, how many people still feel intimidated by the gallery world, and how MAE helps to lower these barriers. By creating access and encouraging connection, MAE reimagines galleries, museums, and cultural venues as social gathering places—spaces outside of home and work where people can meet, share, and feel a sense of belonging. Marino also reflects on how art can address today’s loneliness epidemic by bringing people together in authentic ways.

A dialogue about art as a means of connection, about technology as a catalyst for cultural togetherness, and about the mission to ensure that everyone can belong anywhere in the local art scene.