The five minute interview: Sylvie Betard

Every once in a while Thomasenmadrid publishes a short interview with one of the Key figures of my life in Spain or people who have taken the trouble of visiting me here in Madrid. This week it's the turn of Sylvie Betard (26), my great Erasmus friend from Paris who came to the Spanish capital just over a year ago and visited about every art gallery Madrid has to offer. Art is her thing and she is currently on a very secret mission of changing the world through art and good luck to her. We need some change.


The first time I saw Thomas was: in Bjornkulla in Stockholm during our Erasmus program. I think I met him in the courtyard of the residence but I’m quite sure it is not the reality. But I like to think it like that anyway. And I remember that we became friends very quickly.

My favorite place in Madrid is: The garden at the back of the Museo del Prado.

Something I say too often is: “Sorry, I’m slow”…. !! And Thomas always answers me: “You are”

I am not a politician, but: I would love to have a power to make this world better especially about ecology.

People know me from being an art buyer and art director, but in a truer life I would be: a famous art critic in order to give names to art movements, like Pierre Restany did with the New Realists movement or maybe I would be Andy Warhol, just to be at the beginning of The Factory.

If I weren't talking to you right now I would be: working again late in the evening or having a drink with my friends (if it was Friday), to celebrate the weekend.

Normally, my breakfast consists of: tea that I never drink because I use it only to dip my toasted bread in it, and a smoothy.

I passionately have confidence in: LIFE ! it has been nice with me until now.

At the moment the most played on my MP3 player is: Yaël Naïm and her song “new soul”! makes me so happy !

In moments of weakness I: As you Thomas, I think about the Erasmus time. It was the less stressful period of my life even if I had a job and had to learn a language. It was just the most beautiful time of my life. And for not that long, I am thinking at the moment that we won’t have anymore water to drink. The death of human life, such to say.

I'm good at: organizing things. Shopping. Cleaning my house when I don’t want to think.

I'm very bad at: Getting up early in the morning. Call and emails my friends. Cooking. Having a healthy life.

The ideal night out is: a night every two years with Erasmus friends or a night with my friends in the building or a night with my boyfriend listening music and talking about life.

In a nutshell, my philosophy is this: you can do better (thank you dad).