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The Biennial 100: Curators

The most influential curators of the past decade who have shaped the global conversation through their exhibitions, institutions, and intellectual contributions.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Y Z

A

Aaron Betsky

Director, School of Architecture + Design at Virginia Tech

A leading voice in architecture and design, he directed the 2008 Venice Architecture Biennale, and his influence continues through his writing and teaching.

Aaron Cezar

Director, Delfina Foundation

Leads the influential London-based residency program, which has become a crucial hub and launchpad for international curators and artists.

Abdellah Karroum

Director, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

Leading a key institution for modern and contemporary Arab art and fostering dialogue across the region.

Adam Szymczyk

Former Director, Kunsthalle Basel; Artistic Director, Documenta 14

Executed the radical and controversial two-city model for Documenta 14 (Athens/Kassel), a benchmark for institutional critique.

Adriano Pedrosa

Artistic Director, MASP; Director, 60th Venice Biennale

Championed artists from the Global South, queer, and outsider communities on an unprecedented scale at the 2024 Venice Biennale, cementing the decolonial turn.

Agustín Pérez Rubio

Independent Curator; Curator, 11th Berlin Biennale

An expert in Latin American art who curated the Chilean Pavilion (Golden Lion winner 2015) and was Artistic Director of MALBA.

Andrea Lissoni

Artistic Director, Haus der Kunst

Former Senior Curator of International Art (Film) at Tate Modern, now leading a major German institution with a focus on live and time-based media.

Ann Temkin

The Marie-Josée and Henry Kravis Chief Curator of Painting and Sculpture, MoMA

The chief curator overseeing the world's most important collection of modern art, her vision shapes art history itself, including the major 2019 rehang of MoMA.

B

Beatrix Ruf

Director, Hartwig Art Foundation; former Director, Stedelijk Museum

A highly influential curator known for her sharp eye for emerging talent, despite a controversial departure from the Stedelijk.

Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung

Director, Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW)

A leading voice in decolonial theory and practice, his work at SAVVY Contemporary and now HKW has profoundly influenced cultural discourse in Europe.

C

Candice Hopkins

Executive Director, Forge Project; Co-curator, Documenta 14

A leading voice for Indigenous art and sovereignty, her work has been central to rewriting North American art history.

Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev

Director, Castello di Rivoli; Director, Documenta 13

Though her Documenta was in 2012, her encyclopedic, multi-disciplinary approach has had a long-lasting impact on curatorial methods all decade.

Catherine Wood

Director of Programme, Tate Modern

A leading authority on performance art, her work has been key to integrating live art into the core of Tate's programming.

Cecilia Alemani

Director, High Line Art; Director, 59th Venice Biennale

Curated the historic, female-majority 2022 Venice Biennale, fundamentally shifting representation at the world's most visible art event.

Christine Tohme

Founding Director, Ashkal Alwan; Curator, Sharjah Biennial 13

A pioneer of multi-sited, research-based curating and a foundational figure for the arts infrastructure in the Middle East.

Christine Y. Kim

Curator of Contemporary Art, LACMA

Co-curator of the 2017 Whitney Biennial and a key curatorial voice at LACMA.

Christopher Y. Lew

Artistic Director, Horizon Art Foundation; formerly Whitney Museum

Co-curator of the pivotal 2017 Whitney Biennial, he is a respected voice on emerging art.

Chus Martínez

Head of the Art Institute, FHNW Academy of Art and Design, Basel

A prominent thinker and former chief curator of El Museo del Barrio and member of the Documenta 13 curatorial team.

Clara Kim

Chief Curator & Director of Curatorial Affairs, MOCA, Los Angeles

A senior curatorial voice at major institutions from the Tate Modern to MOCA.

Cosmin Costinaș

Director, Para Site, Hong Kong; Co-curator, Biennale of Sydney 2024

A dynamic curator whose work at Para Site and other biennials champions artists from underrepresented regions.

Cuauhtémoc Medina

Chief Curator, MUAC, Mexico City

A leading art critic and curator in Latin America, known for his sharp intellect and politically engaged exhibitions.

D

Daniel Birnbaum

Director, Acute Art

Though his Venice Biennale was 2009, his subsequent leadership at Moderna Museet and now at the VR/AR platform Acute Art places him at the forefront of art and tech.

Defne Ayas

Independent Curator; Co-curator, 13th Gwangju Biennale

A veteran curator who has led multiple institutions and biennials, known for intellectually adventurous and geopolitically aware projects.

Diana Nawi

Independent Curator

Co-curator of Prospect.4 and a thoughtful voice on contemporary art in the Americas.

E

Elmgreen & Dragset

Artist Duo; Curators, 15th Istanbul Biennial

Their 2017 Istanbul Biennial was a poignant and poetic model of how to respond to a tense political climate with nuance and humanity.

Eugene Tan

Director, National Gallery Singapore and Singapore Art Museum

Oversees two key institutions in Southeast Asia, with a major role in shaping the region's art historical narrative.

Eungie Joo

Curator of Contemporary Art, SFMOMA

Known for her sharp eye and global perspective, having curated the 2012 New Museum Triennial and held senior roles at major institutions.

F

Franklin Sirmans

Director, Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM)

Has positioned PAMM as a vital hub for art of the Americas and the African diaspora.

Fumio Nanjo

Former Director, Mori Art Museum

Led one of Asia's most important contemporary art museums for years, shaping the dialogue between Japanese and international art.

G

Gabriel Pérez-Barreiro

Senior Advisor, Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros

Curated the 33rd São Paulo Bienal (2018) with a radical model focused on artist-curated projects, challenging traditional curatorial authority.

Gabi Ngcobo

Curator and Educator; Curator, 10th Berlin Biennale

Her collaborative, decolonial approach to the 2018 Berlin Biennale offered a powerful alternative to Western-centric curatorial models.

H

Hans De Wolf

Professor, VUB; Curator of SOME OF US, a satellite of the 16th Lyon Biennale

His exhibition focused on the intersection of art and science, representing a growing curatorial trend.

Hans Ulrich Obrist

Artistic Director, Serpentine Galleries

A curatorial superstar whose relentless pace and "Interview Project" have made him a central node in the global art network.

Hoor Al Qasimi

President and Director, Sharjah Art Foundation

Transformed Sharjah into a vital global center for art and discourse, providing a sustained, critical platform for artists from the MENASA region and beyond.

Hou Hanru

Former Artistic Director, MAXXI, Rome

A pioneering independent curator who has been a central figure in globalizing the art world since the 1990s.

I

Inti Guerrero

Artistic Director, Bellas Artes Projects, Manila; Co-curator, Biennale of Sydney 2024

A well-respected curator with deep knowledge of Asian and Latin American art, bridging the two regions.

İpek Yeğinsu

Curator, 18th Istanbul Biennial (2025)

Appointed to lead the upcoming Istanbul Biennial, representing a new generation of curatorial talent.

Iwona Blazwick

Former Director, Whitechapel Gallery

A hugely respected figure who led a major London institution for two decades, championing female artists and global perspectives. She was appointed curator for the 2024 AlUla Arts Festival.

J

Jane Panetta

Director and Curator, The FLAG Art Foundation; formerly Whitney Museum

As co-curator of the 2019 Whitney Biennial, she was central to navigating one of the decade's major institutional crises.

Jeebesh Bagchi (Raqs Media Collective)

Artist Collective; Curators, 11th Shanghai Biennale

As part of Raqs, his work blends art, theory, and curation, influencing a generation of artist-thinkers.

Jessica Morgan

Director, Dia Art Foundation

Leads one of the world's most important institutions for land art, minimalism, and post-minimalism.

Jochen Volz

General Director, Pinacoteca de São Paulo; Curator, 32nd São Paulo Bienal

His 2016 São Paulo Bienal was a landmark exhibition that prioritized ecological and cosmological perspectives.

José Roca

Artistic Director, FLORA ars+natura; Curator, 2021 Estuaire Nantes

A major figure in Latin American art, his focus on the intersection of art and nature has been highly influential.

Julieta González

Independent Curator; former Artistic Director, Museo Jumex

A leading curator of Latin American art, her exhibitions are known for their deep historical research and intellectual rigor.

K

Khanyisile Mbongwa

Curator, Liverpool Biennial 2023

Her curation of the Liverpool Biennial, focusing on histories of colonialism and extraction, was critically lauded and marked her as a major rising voice.

Klaus Biesenbach

Director, Neue Nationalgalerie; former Director, MOCA

A hugely influential figure at MoMA PS1 and MOCA, known for championing performance art and landmark retrospectives.

Koyo Kouoh

Executive Director and Chief Curator, Zeitz MOCAA

A tireless advocate for African artists, her leadership at RAW Material Company and now Zeitz MOCAA is shaping the continent's institutional landscape.

L

Lars Nittve

Former Director, M+, Hong Kong

The founding director of M+, he laid the institutional and intellectual groundwork for what is now a global powerhouse.

Lucia Pietroiusti

Curator, Serpentine Galleries

A pioneer in ecological and interspecies thinking, her curation of the Golden Lion-winning Lithuanian Pavilion (Sun & Sea) in 2019 was a decade highlight.

M

Madeleine Grynsztejn

Director, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago

A visionary leader who has pushed for audience-engaged, socially-conscious programming at a major American museum.

Mami Kataoka

Director, Mori Art Museum; President, CIMAM

As director of the Mori and president of the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art, she is a global leader.

Manuel Borja-Villel

Former Director, Museo Reina Sofía

Led the Reina Sofía for 15 years, radically re-installing the collection to reflect decolonial and transnational narratives.

Maria Lind

Writer and Curator; former Director, Tensta Konsthall

A highly respected thinker known for her writing on curatorial practice and her artist-centric institutional models.

Marina Abramović (Artist as Curator)

Artist; Guest Curator, Royal Academy 2023

The "godmother of performance art," her curatorial projects and institutional collaborations have cemented the place of performance in the museum.

Mark Godfrey

Independent Curator; formerly Tate Modern

An acclaimed curator and scholar, his very public resignation from the Tate in 2021 sparked a major debate on institutional ethics and curatorial freedom.

Massimiliano Gioni

Artistic Director, New Museum

His curatorial work (including the 2013 Venice Biennale) and leadership at the New Museum continue to define the "downtown" cutting edge of the art world.

Max Hollein

Director, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

As director of the Met, he is one of the most powerful people in the art world, overseeing a historic shift in the museum's approach to contemporary and global art.

Michelle Kuo

The Marlene Hess Curator of Painting and Sculpture, MoMA

As a top curator at MoMA and former Editor-in-Chief of Artforum, she holds immense intellectual and institutional power.

Monica Narula (Raqs Media Collective)

Artist Collective; Curators, 11th Shanghai Biennale

A key member of the influential collective whose curatorial projects are as significant as their artworks.

Marie-Cécile Zinsou

President, Zinsou Foundation, Benin

A cultural entrepreneur who has created essential arts infrastructure in West Africa, she co-curated the Benin pavilion at the 2024 Venice Biennale.

N

Naima J. Keith

Vice President of Education and Public Programs, LACMA

Co-curator of Prospect.4 New Orleans and a key figure in major US institutions.

Naomi Beckwith

Deputy Director and Chief Curator, Guggenheim Museum

A major intellectual force now in a top role at a leading global institution, shaping its collection and exhibition strategy.

Natasha Ginwala

Artistic Director, 13th Gwangju Biennale (with Ayas); Curator, Martin-Gropius-Bau

A key contemporary voice whose work often explores concepts of memory, territory, and the archive.

Nicolas Bourriaud

Curator and Art Critic

The theorist behind "relational aesthetics," his ideas continue to influence curating, with recent work focusing on the Anthropocene.

O

Okwui Enwezor (1963-2019)

Former Director, Haus der Kunst; Director, 56th Venice Biennale

His 2015 Venice Biennale set the decade's agenda for politically-engaged, post-colonial curating on a mass scale.

Olabisi Silva (1962-2019)

Founder, Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos (CCA)

A foundational figure whose work at CCA, Lagos created a critical hub for art in Nigeria and whose legacy continues to inspire curators across Africa.

Omar Kholeif

Director of Collections and Senior Curator, Sharjah Art Foundation

A prolific curator and writer focusing on art, technology, and geopolitics.

Ory Dessau

Independent Curator

Co-curator of the German Pavilion (Golden Lion winner 2024), lauded for its complex, multi-layered approach to history and identity.

P

Pablo León de la Barra

Curator at Large, Latin America, Guggenheim Museum

A critical voice in integrating Latin American artists into global institutional collections and conversations.

Paul B. Preciado

Philosopher and Curator

His philosophical work on gender and technology, and his curation for Documenta 14, has brought critical theory directly into the exhibition space.

Pierre Huyghe (Artist as Curator)

Artist

His influential practice, treating exhibitions as complex, evolving systems, has had a profound impact on how curators think about time, space, and format.

Pilar Tompkins Rivas

Chief Curator, Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

Leading the curatorial vision for one of the most anticipated new museums in the world.

R

Ralph Rugoff

Director, Hayward Gallery, London; Director, 58th Venice Biennale

His conceptually rigorous 2019 Venice Biennale masterfully addressed the "post-truth" era.

Reem Fadda

Director, Cultural Foundation, Abu Dhabi

A key curator in the Middle East, she curated the first UAE Pavilion in Venice and has held senior roles at the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.

ruangrupa

Indonesian Artist Collective; Artistic Directors, Documenta fifteen

Introduced the radical collectivist model of lumbung, forcing a global debate on curatorial authorship, process, and responsibility.

Rujeko Hockley

Arnhold Associate Curator, Whitney Museum of American Art

Co-curator of the protest-defined 2019 Whitney Biennial and a key voice shaping the next generation of American art.

Russell Storer

Head of Curatorial and Collections, National Gallery Singapore

A highly respected curator of Asian and Pacific art who has been central to shaping the narrative at one of the region's most important institutions.

S

Sally Tallant

President and Executive Director, Queens Museum

Former Director of the Liverpool Biennial, now leading a key socially-engaged museum in New York.

Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath

Directors, Hamburger Bahnhof; Curators, 16th Lyon Biennale

As a curatorial duo, they have led multiple biennials and now a major Berlin institution, known for their pan-Arab and transnational research.

Shabbir Hussain Mustafa

Senior Curator, National Gallery Singapore

A central figure in the curation of "Siapa Nama Kamu?," the seminal permanent exhibition charting the history of Singaporean art.

Shuddhabrata Sengupta (Raqs Media Collective)

Artist Collective; Curators, 11th Shanghai Biennale

The third member of Raqs, whose collective practice has redefined what it means to be an artist and curator today.

Sofía Hernández Chong Cuy

Former Director, Witte de With (now Kunstinstituut Melly)

A thoughtful and respected curator who led a major European institution through a critical renaming process and curated the 9th Mercosul Biennial.

Soledad Gutiérrez

Curator, 2024 Carnegie International

Her selection to lead the prestigious Carnegie International signals her rising influence in the Americas and beyond.

Stephanie Rosenthal

Director, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi

Former Director of the Martin-Gropius-Bau, now heading one of the world's most ambitious museum projects.

Stuart Comer

The Lonti Ebers Chief Curator of Media and Performance, MoMA

Has redefined how a major museum collects and displays time-based media, performance, and film.

Suhanya Raffel

Director, M+, Hong Kong

Has overseen the launch of one of the world's most significant new museums, defining a new center of gravity for global culture.

Sunjung Kim

Director, Art Sonje Center, Seoul

A major figure in the Korean art world who has led the Gwangju Biennale and is a key institutional builder.

Suzanne Cotter

Director, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA)

A museum leader with international experience who now heads a major institution in the Asia-Pacific region.

T

Thelma Golden

Director and Chief Curator, The Studio Museum in Harlem

A foundational figure in championing artists of African descent; her institutional leadership and coining of the term "post-blackness" have shaped generations.

Thomas J. Lax

Curator of Media and Performance, MoMA

A key figure in MoMA's performance and media department, known for his work on Black and queer performance.

Tino Sehgal (Artist as Curator)

Artist

His "constructed situations" have challenged the very definition of an exhibition, influencing a generation of curators interested in immateriality and live experience.

Touria El Glaoui

Founding Director, 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair

While a fair director, she has created the single most important international platform for galleries from Africa and the diaspora, profoundly shaping the market and careers.

U

Ute Meta Bauer

Founding Director, NTU CCA Singapore

A veteran curator and academic who has been a major force in shaping the contemporary art landscape of Southeast Asia.

V

Valerie Cassel Oliver

Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

A trailblazing curator who has organized foundational exhibitions of major African American artists like Howardena Pindell and Theaster Gates.

Vasif Kortun

Curator and Writer; former Director, SALT, Istanbul

A foundational figure in Turkey's contemporary art scene, his work at SALT created a new model for a research-based institution.

Vincent Honoré

Director of Exhibitions and Programmes, MO.CO. Montpellier

An independent-minded curator who has championed emerging artists and queer perspectives, formerly at the Hayward and David Roberts Art Foundation.

Y

Yuko Hasegawa

Director, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

A major figure in Japanese and international contemporary art for decades, known for exhibitions that bridge art, architecture, and design.

Z

Zoé Whitley

Director, Chisenhale Gallery

A dynamic curator who led the acclaimed British Pavilion at the 2019 Venice Biennale and now directs a key London gallery.

Zoe Butt

Curator and writer specializing in Southeast Asian art

A vital advocate and thinker who built critical arts infrastructure as Artistic Director of The Factory in Ho Chi Minh City.

The Biennial 100 curators represent the most influential voices shaping contemporary art through their exhibitions, writing, and institutional leadership.