So much of the art world orbits around questions of value, not only in terms of appraisals and price tags, but also: What is worthy of your time in These Times, as well as your energy, your attention, and yes, your hard-earned cash?

What is the math that you do to determine something’s meaning and worth? What moves you? What enriches your life? In this new series, we’re asking individuals from the art world and beyond about the valuations that they make at a personal level.

Aric Chen knows a thing or two about culture—he’s defined a career at the nexus of architecture, design, and digital worlds. Two years ago, Chen became director of Rotterdam’s esteemed Het Nieuwe Instituut (HNI), famed for its critically rigorous and avant-garde design-focused presentations. This month, HNI will open “Workwear,” an exhibition that explores the transformation of functional laborers’s clothing into fashion symbols seen on runways and metropolitan centers alike.

Prior to…