The Biennale 100: Curators Who Defined a Decade

Director, Delfina Foundation Aaron Cezar Based in London, UK Leads influential London residency program, crucial incubator for international curators and artists fostering cross-cultural dialogue. Profile ↗

Director, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art Abdellah Karroum Based in Doha, Qatar Pivotal figure in Arab contemporary art, leading key institutions and fostering MENA dialogue through groundbreaking exhibitions. Profile ↗

Former Director, Kunsthalle Basel; Artistic Director, Documenta 14 Adam Szymczyk Based in Basel, Switzerland Executed radical two-city Documenta 14 (Athens/Kassel), challenging Western art hegemony with new transnational model. Profile ↗

Artistic Director, MASP; Director, 60th Venice Biennale Adriano Pedrosa Based in São Paulo, Brazil First Latin American Venice director, championed Global South artists at unprecedented scale, fundamentally shifting representation. Profile ↗ Venice 2024 ↗

Independent Curator; Former Director, MALBA Agustín Pérez Rubio Based in Buenos Aires, Argentina Expert in Latin American art, curated Golden Lion-winning Chilean Pavilion (2015), transformed MALBA into leading voice. Profile ↗

Artistic Director, Haus der Kunst Andrea Lissoni Based in Munich, Germany Former Tate Modern Film curator, now leading major German institution with focus on live and time-based media. Profile ↗

Chief Curator of Painting and Sculpture, MoMA Ann Temkin Based in New York, USA Oversees world's most important modern art collection, led groundbreaking 2019 MoMA rehang rewriting modernism's narrative. Profile ↗

Director, Haus der Kulturen der Welt Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung Based in Berlin, Germany Leading voice in decolonial practice, SAVVY Contemporary founder, profoundly influenced European cultural discourse. Profile ↗ SAVVY ↗

Executive Director, Forge Project Candice Hopkins Based in New Mexico, USA Leading voice for Indigenous art and sovereignty, central to rewriting North American art history through exhibitions. Profile ↗

Director of Programme, Tate Modern Catherine Wood Based in London, UK Leading authority on performance art, key to integrating live art into Tate's core programming. Profile ↗

Director, High Line Art Cecilia Alemani Based in New York, USA Curated historic female-majority 2022 Venice Biennale, fundamentally shifting representation at world's most visible platform. Profile ↗

Founding Director, Ashkal Alwan Christine Tohme Based in Beirut, Lebanon Pioneer of multi-sited, research-based curating and foundational figure for Middle East arts infrastructure. Profile ↗

Curator of Contemporary Art, LACMA Christine Y. Kim Based in Los Angeles, USA Co-curator of 2017 Whitney Biennial and key curatorial voice at LACMA for Asian American art. Profile ↗

Artistic Director, Horizon Art Foundation Christopher Y. Lew Based in New York, USA Co-curator of pivotal 2017 Whitney Biennial, respected voice on emerging art. Profile ↗

Chief Curator, MOCA Los Angeles Clara Kim Based in Los Angeles, USA Senior curatorial voice at major institutions from Tate Modern to MOCA. Profile ↗

Director, Para Site; Co-curator, Biennale of Sydney 2024 Cosmin Costinaș Based in Hong Kong Dynamic curator championing artists from underrepresented regions at Para Site and international biennials. Profile ↗

Chief Curator, MUAC, Mexico City Cuauhtémoc Medina Based in Mexico City, Mexico Leading art critic and curator in Latin America, known for sharp intellect and politically engaged exhibitions. Profile ↗

Independent Curator Defne Ayas Based in Berlin, Germany Veteran curator of multiple biennials, known for intellectually adventurous and geopolitically aware projects. Profile ↗

Independent Curator Diana Nawi Based in New Orleans, USA Co-curator of Prospect.4, thoughtful voice on contemporary art in the Americas. Profile ↗

Director, WIELS, Brussels Dirk Snauwaert Based in Brussels, Belgium Heads one of Europe's most significant contemporary art centers, known for its dynamic exhibition program and residency opportunities. Profile ↗

Artist Duo; Curators, 15th Istanbul Biennial Elmgreen & Dragset Based in Berlin and London Their 2017 Istanbul Biennial was poignant model of responding to tense political climate with nuance. Profile ↗

Director, National Gallery Singapore and Singapore Art Museum Eugene Tan Based in Singapore Oversees two key Southeast Asian institutions, shaping region's art historical narrative. Profile ↗

Curator of Contemporary Art, SFMOMA Eungie Joo Based in San Francisco, USA Sharp eye and global perspective, curated 2012 New Museum Triennial and Sharjah Biennial 12. Profile ↗

Director, Pérez Art Museum Miami Franklin Sirmans Based in Miami, USA Positioned PAMM as vital hub for art of the Americas and African diaspora. Profile ↗

Former Director, Mori Art Museum Fumio Nanjo Based in Tokyo, Japan Led one of Asia's most important contemporary art museums, shaping Japanese-international dialogue. Profile ↗

Senior Advisor, Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Gabriel Pérez-Barreiro Based in New York, USA Curated 33rd São Paulo Bienal with radical artist-curated model challenging traditional authority. Profile ↗

Curator and Educator Gabi Ngcobo Based in Johannesburg, South Africa Her collaborative 2018 Berlin Biennale offered powerful alternative to Western-centric models. Profile ↗

Artistic Director, Serpentine Galleries Hans Ulrich Obrist Based in London, UK Curatorial superstar whose Marathon interviews and Do It project made him central node in global art network. Profile ↗ Instagram ↗

President and Director, Sharjah Art Foundation Hoor Al Qasimi Based in Sharjah, UAE Transformed Sharjah into vital global center for art, providing critical platform for MENASA artists. Profile ↗

Former Artistic Director, MAXXI Hou Hanru Based in Rome, Italy Pioneering independent curator, central figure in globalizing art world since 1990s. Profile ↗

Artistic Director, Bellas Artes Projects Inti Guerrero Based in Manila, Philippines Well-respected curator bridging Asian and Latin American art, co-curator Sydney Biennale 2024. Profile ↗

Curator, 18th Istanbul Biennial (2025) İpek Yeğinsu Based in Istanbul, Turkey Appointed to lead upcoming Istanbul Biennial, representing new generation of curatorial talent. Profile ↗

Former Director, Whitechapel Gallery Iwona Blazwick Based in London, UK Hugely respected figure who led major London institution for two decades, championing female artists. Profile ↗

Director, FLAG Art Foundation Jane Panetta Based in New York, USA Co-curator of 2019 Whitney Biennial, central to navigating major institutional crisis. Profile ↗

Artist Collective Member Jeebesh Bagchi (Raqs) Based in New Delhi, India Part of Raqs Media Collective, blending art, theory, and curation influencing generation of artist-thinkers. Profile ↗

Director, Dia Art Foundation Jessica Morgan Based in New York, USA Leads one of world's most important institutions for land art, minimalism, and post-minimalism. Profile ↗

General Director, Pinacoteca de São Paulo Jochen Volz Based in São Paulo, Brazil His 2016 São Paulo Bienal was landmark exhibition prioritizing ecological and cosmological perspectives. Profile ↗

Artistic Director, FLORA ars+natura José Roca Based in Bogotá, Colombia Major figure in Latin American art, focus on intersection of art and nature highly influential. Profile ↗

Independent Curator Julieta González Based in Madrid, Spain Leading curator of Latin American art, exhibitions known for deep historical research and rigor. Profile ↗

Curator, Liverpool Biennial 2023 Khanyisile Mbongwa Based in Cape Town, South Africa Her Liverpool Biennial focusing on colonialism and extraction was critically lauded as major rising voice. Profile ↗

Director, Neue Nationalgalerie Klaus Biesenbach Based in Berlin, Germany Hugely influential figure at MoMA PS1 and MOCA, known for championing performance art. Profile ↗

Executive Director and Chief Curator, Zeitz MOCAA Koyo Kouoh Based in Cape Town, South Africa Tireless advocate for African artists, leadership at RAW Material Company and Zeitz MOCAA shaping continent's landscape. Profile ↗

Former Director, M+, Hong Kong Lars Nittve Based in Stockholm, Sweden Founding director of M+, laid institutional and intellectual groundwork for global powerhouse. Profile ↗

Curator, Serpentine Galleries Lucia Pietroiusti Based in London, UK Pioneer in ecological thinking, curated Golden Lion-winning Lithuanian Pavilion (Sun & Sea) 2019. Profile ↗

Director, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago Madeleine Grynsztejn Based in Chicago, USA Visionary leader pushing for audience-engaged, socially-conscious programming at major American museum. Profile ↗

Director, Mori Art Museum; President, CIMAM Mami Kataoka Based in Tokyo, Japan As Mori director and CIMAM president, she is a global leader in contemporary art. Profile ↗

Former Director, Museo Reina Sofía Manuel Borja-Villel Based in Madrid, Spain Led the Reina Sofía for 15 years, radically re-installing the collection to reflect decolonial and transnational narratives. Profile ↗

Writer and Curator; former Director, Tensta Konsthall Maria Lind Based in Stockholm, Sweden A highly respected thinker known for her writing on curatorial practice and her artist-centric institutional models. Profile ↗

Independent Curator; formerly Senior Curator, Tate Modern Mark Godfrey Based in London, UK An acclaimed curator and scholar, his very public resignation from the Tate in 2021 sparked a major debate on institutional ethics and curatorial freedom. Profile ↗

Artistic Director, New Museum Massimiliano Gioni Based in New York, USA 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. Profile ↗

The Marlene Hess Curator of Painting and Sculpture, MoMA Michelle Kuo Based in New York, USA As a top curator at MoMA and former Editor-in-Chief of Artforum, she holds immense intellectual and institutional power. Profile ↗

Artist Collective Member Monica Narula (Raqs) Based in New Delhi, India A key member of the influential collective whose curatorial projects are as significant as their artworks. Profile ↗

President, Zinsou Foundation, Benin Marie-Cécile Zinsou Based in Cotonou, Benin A cultural entrepreneur who has created essential arts infrastructure in West Africa, she co-curated the Benin pavilion at the 2024 Venice Biennale. Profile ↗

Independent Curator Mika Yoshitake Based in Los Angeles, USA Known for her expertise in postwar Japanese art, she curated the acclaimed exhibition "Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors" which was a global phenomenon. Profile ↗

Vice President of Education and Public Programs, LACMA Naima J. Keith Based in Los Angeles, USA Co-curator of Prospect.4 New Orleans and a key figure in major US institutions. Profile ↗

Deputy Director and Chief Curator, Guggenheim Museum Naomi Beckwith Based in New York, USA A major intellectual force now in a top role at a leading global institution, shaping its collection and exhibition strategy. Profile ↗

Curator, Martin-Gropius-Bau; Co-curator, 13th Gwangju Biennale Natasha Ginwala Based in Berlin, Germany A key contemporary voice whose work often explores concepts of memory, territory, and the archive. Profile ↗

Director, ANO Institute of Arts and Knowledge, Ghana Nana Oforiatta Ayim Based in Accra, Ghana A leading figure in contemporary African art who served as curator for Ghana's inaugural pavilion at the 2019 Venice Biennale and again in 2022. Profile ↗

Director, The National Portrait Gallery, London Nicholas Cullinan Based in London, UK His leadership at a major London institution and his role as a former curator at MoMA and the Met marks him as a key figure in institutional management. Profile ↗

Former Director, Haus der Kunst; Director, 56th Venice Biennale Okwui Enwezor (1963-2019) Formerly based in Munich, Germany His 2015 Venice Biennale set the decade's agenda for politically-engaged, post-colonial curating on a mass scale. Profile ↗

Founder, Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos (CCA) Olabisi Silva (1962-2019) Formerly based in Lagos, Nigeria 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. Profile ↗

Director of Collections and Senior Curator, Sharjah Art Foundation Omar Kholeif Based in Sharjah, UAE A prolific curator and writer focusing on art, technology, and geopolitics. Profile ↗

Independent Curator Ory Dessau Based in Brussels, Belgium Co-curator of the German Pavilion (Golden Lion winner 2024), lauded for its complex, multi-layered approach to history and identity. Profile ↗

Curator; Former Director, Walker Art Center Olga Viso Based in Minneapolis, USA Known for her forward-thinking leadership at the Walker, she has been a key voice for contemporary art in the United States for decades. Profile ↗

Curator at Large, Latin America, Guggenheim Museum Pablo León de la Barra Based in Mexico City, Mexico A critical voice in integrating Latin American artists into global institutional collections and conversations. Profile ↗

Philosopher and Curator Paul B. Preciado Based in Paris, France His philosophical work on gender and technology, and his curation for Documenta 14, has brought critical theory directly into the exhibition space. Profile ↗

Chief Curator, Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Pilar Tompkins Rivas Based in Los Angeles, USA Leading the curatorial vision for one of the most anticipated new museums in the world. Profile ↗

Curator and Art Critic; Rector, Städelschule, Frankfurt Philippe Pirotte Based in Frankfurt, Germany A highly respected figure in art education and exhibition-making, known for his curatorial work at the 2017 Myanmar Biennale. Profile ↗

Curator and Writer; Senior Curator, Rockbund Art Museum, Shanghai Qu Chang Based in Shanghai, China A rising voice in Asian contemporary art, known for her rigorous, research-driven exhibitions. Profile ↗

Director, Hayward Gallery, London; Director, 58th Venice Biennale Ralph Rugoff Based in London, UK His conceptually rigorous 2019 Venice Biennale masterfully addressed the "post-truth" era. Profile ↗

Director, Cultural Foundation, Abu Dhabi Reem Fadda Based in Abu Dhabi, UAE 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. Profile ↗

Indonesian Artist Collective; Artistic Directors, Documenta fifteen ruangrupa Based in Jakarta, Indonesia Introduced the radical collectivist model of lumbung, forcing a global debate on curatorial authorship, process, and responsibility. Profile ↗

Arnhold Associate Curator, Whitney Museum of American Art Rujeko Hockley Based in New York, USA Co-curator of the protest-defined 2019 Whitney Biennial and a key voice shaping the next generation of American art. Profile ↗

Head of Curatorial and Collections, National Gallery Singapore Russell Storer Based in 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. Profile ↗

President and Executive Director, Queens Museum Sally Tallant Based in New York, USA Former Director of the Liverpool Biennial, now leading a key socially-engaged museum in New York. Profile ↗

Directors, Hamburger Bahnhof; Curators, 16th Lyon Biennale Sam Bardaouil & Till Fellrath Based in Berlin, Germany As a curatorial duo, they have led multiple biennials and now a major Berlin institution, known for their pan-Arab and transnational research. Profile ↗

Senior Curator, National Gallery Singapore Shabbir Hussain Mustafa Based in Singapore A central figure in the curation of "Siapa Nama Kamu?," the seminal permanent exhibition charting the history of Singaporean art. Profile ↗

Artist Collective Member Shuddhabrata Sengupta (Raqs) Based in New Delhi, India The third member of Raqs, whose collective practice has redefined what it means to be an artist and curator today. Profile ↗

Former Director, Witte de With (now Kunstinstituut Melly) Sofía Hernández Chong Cuy Based in Mexico City, Mexico A thoughtful and respected curator who led a major European institution through a critical renaming process and curated the 9th Mercosul Biennial. Profile ↗

Curator, 2024 Carnegie International Soledad Gutiérrez Based in New York, USA Her selection to lead the prestigious Carnegie International signals her rising influence in the Americas and beyond. Profile ↗

Director, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Stephanie Rosenthal Based in Abu Dhabi, UAE Former Director of the Martin-Gropius-Bau, now heading one of the world's most ambitious museum projects. Profile ↗

The Lonti Ebers Chief Curator of Media and Performance, MoMA Stuart Comer Based in New York, USA Has redefined how a major museum collects and displays time-based media, performance, and film. Profile ↗

Director, M+, Hong Kong Suhanya Raffel Based in 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. Profile ↗

Director, Art Sonje Center, Seoul Sunjung Kim Based in Seoul, South Korea A major figure in the Korean art world who has led the Gwangju Biennale and is a key institutional builder. Profile ↗

Director, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) Suzanne Cotter Based in Sydney, Australia A museum leader with international experience who now heads a major institution in the Asia-Pacific region. Profile ↗

Director and Chief Curator, The Studio Museum in Harlem Thelma Golden Based in New York, USA A foundational figure in championing artists of African descent; her institutional leadership and coining of the term "post-blackness" have shaped generations. Profile ↗

Curator of Media and Performance, MoMA Thomas J. Lax Based in New York, USA A key figure in MoMA's performance and media department, known for his work on Black and queer performance. Profile ↗

Founding Director, 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair Touria El Glaoui Based in London, UK 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. Profile ↗

Founding Director, NTU CCA Singapore Ute Meta Bauer Based in Singapore A veteran curator and academic who has been a major force in shaping the contemporary art landscape of Southeast Asia. Profile ↗

Curator; former Director, Nationalgalerie, Berlin Udo Kittelmann Based in Berlin, Germany Led Berlin's National Gallery for over a decade, overseeing major institutional change and influential exhibitions. Profile ↗

Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Valerie Cassel Oliver Based in Richmond, USA A trailblazing curator who has organized foundational exhibitions of major African American artists like Howardena Pindell and Theaster Gates. Profile ↗

Curator and Writer; former Director, SALT, Istanbul Vasif Kortun Based in Istanbul, Turkey A foundational figure in Turkey's contemporary art scene, his work at SALT created a new model for a research-based institution. Profile ↗

Director of Exhibitions and Programmes, MO.CO. Montpellier Vincent Honoré Based in Montpellier, France An independent-minded curator who has championed emerging artists and queer perspectives, formerly at the Hayward and David Roberts Art Foundation. Profile ↗

Co-founder, Gallery Climate Coalition; former Director, Frieze Fairs Victoria Siddall Based in London, UK As a former director of Frieze, she was a central figure in the global art market, and now leads the charge for climate action in the arts. Profile ↗

Head of Research Center for Material Culture, Netherlands Wayne Modest Based in Amsterdam, Netherlands A leading thinker on decolonial museology and restitution, his work is profoundly influencing how museums in Europe address colonial legacies. Profile ↗

Chief Curator, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis Wassan Al-Khudhairi Based in St. Louis, USA An influential curator of international contemporary art, with a focus on the Middle East, she has led multiple biennials and exhibitions in the region. Profile ↗

Director, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa Yuko Hasegawa Based in Kanazawa, Japan A major figure in Japanese and international contemporary art for decades, known for exhibitions that bridge art, architecture, and design. Profile ↗

Independent Curator and Scholar Yael Lipschutz Based in London, UK Her work on queer theory and performance has been highly influential in curating exhibitions that challenge conventional art historical narratives. Profile ↗

Director, Chisenhale Gallery Zoé Whitley Based in London, UK A dynamic curator who led the acclaimed British Pavilion at the 2019 Venice Biennale and now directs a key London gallery. Profile ↗

Curator and writer specializing in Southeast Asian art Zoe Butt Based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam A vital advocate and thinker who built critical arts infrastructure as Artistic Director of The Factory in Ho Chi Minh City. Profile ↗

The Biennale 100™ Curators

B100 Curators