Before moving to Houston, Tina Malhotra worked for eleven years as an experiential producer in New York City. During her time in New York, she produced immersive and interactive environments for brands including fashion shows, pop-ups, press events, product launches, marketing tours — even spectacles in Time Square. Now, she serves as CEO of The Color Factory and enjoys bringing immersive art experiences to Houstonians.
What drew you to working for Color Factory?
“When I first heard about the opportunity, I had actually never heard of Color Factory. It was 2018 and there had only been a pop-up in San Francisco. I Googled it and looked at it. At the time, there weren’t a lot of experiential, immersive museums out there but it was unlike anything I had ever seen before. It was beautiful, it was colorful. But, it was so much more than just something that was a photogenic experience, an Instagram museum. I think what stuck out to me is that they work with artists from all over the world. There was this element of cleverness in the exhibits that I saw. Everything was very thoughtfully curated. “
What are some other art museums you enjoy in Houston?
“I’ve only been in Houston for five years, and the thing that surprised me the most about it was just how vibrant the art scene is here. I really love the Museum of Fine Arts, thenew Kinder contemporary arts wing is so beautiful. Even the architecture of the space itself is so stunning. They’ve got the James Turrell exhibit, Carlos Cruz Diaz, that hallway. Of course, The Menil. You could spend all day there. They’ve got the Dan Flavin exhibit. Another funky one I really like is the Art Car museum. I live in The Heights and I have two kids, and my son is really obsessed with cars.”
Do you have a favorite color that speaks to you and why?
“So, teal. It was never my favorite color growing up, but into adulthood I just keep gravitating towards things that are teal. My bookshelf is teal. A lot of pieces in my house are teal. It’s calming. It’s peaceful. I think I feel inspired when I’m around it. I think it could be because I think my soul belongs on the beach. I’ve always felt the most at peace near water.”
