Ute Meta Bauer is a renowned curator, educator, and scholar in contemporary art, known for her transdisciplinary approach and innovative exhibitions. She is currently a Professor at the School of Art, Design, and Media at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the Founding Director of the NTU Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) Singapore. Beginning her career as an independent curator, Bauer entered the institutional art scene in 1990 as the Director of Künstlerhaus Stuttgart.
She has curated numerous influential exhibitions, including co-curating Documenta 11 (2002), serving as the Artistic Director of the 3rd Berlin Biennale (2004), and co-curating the 17th Istanbul Biennial (2021). Bauer also co-curated the Gwangju Biennale’s special exhibition commemorating the 40th anniversary of the May 18 Democratic Uprising (2020) and is currently serving as the Artistic Director of the 2nd Diriyah Biennale (2024).
Charles Esche is a British curator and museum director who has significantly influenced contemporary art practices. From 2004 to 2024, he served as the Director of the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven, Netherlands, where he explored alternative approaches to museum practices, emphasizing local engagement and the museum as an open, experimental space.
Esche has curated major international exhibitions, including the 4th Gwangju Biennale (2002) and the 31st São Paulo Biennial (2014). He is also a co-founder and editor of Afterall, a research and publishing organization focused on contemporary art and its social and political contexts. Esche’s work challenges traditional institutional hierarchies and fosters critical dialogues about the role of art in society.
Massimiliano Gioni is a curator and art director known for his innovative and thought-provoking exhibitions. He is currently the Artistic Director of the New Museum in New York and the Nicola Trussardi Foundation in Milan. Gioni has curated numerous influential projects, including 10,000 Lives at the 8th Gwangju Biennale (2010), acclaimed for its groundbreaking approach, and The Encyclopedic Palace at the 55th Venice Biennale (2013), which explored the limits of human imagination.
Gioni began his career in the early 2000s as the New York editor of Flash Art magazine and co-founded the “Wrong Gallery,” a critical space for experimental exhibitions. Over the years, he has curated major events such as Manifesta 5 (2004), Monument to Now (2004), and the 4th Berlin Biennale (2006). His work consistently challenges traditional exhibition formats, emphasizing art as a broader cultural and social practice.
Maria Lind is a curator, writer, and educator recognized for her critical contributions to contemporary art and curatorial practices. She is currently the Director of the Kin Museum for Contemporary Art in Kiruna, Sweden, and teaches in the CuratorLab program at Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts, and Design. Lind has held notable leadership roles, including Director of Iaspis in Stockholm (2005–2007), Director of the CCS Bard College Master’s Program (2008–2010), and Director of Tensta Konsthall in Stockholm (2011–2018).
She served as the Artistic Director of the 11th Gwangju Biennale (2016) and was the Cultural Counselor at the Swedish Embassy in Russia (2020–2023). Lind’s curatorial work often focuses on the intersections of art, philosophy, and socio-political contexts, establishing her as a leading figure in shaping contemporary art dialogue on an international scale.
David Teh is a writer, curator, and Associate Professor in the Department of English, Linguistics, and Theatre Studies at the National University of Singapore. His work focuses on contemporary art in Southeast Asia, with particular interest in regionalism, critical theory, and the intersections of art and politics. Teh has curated notable exhibitions, including Misfits: Pages from a Loose-leaf Modernity at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin (2017), and Returns at the 12th Gwangju Biennale (2018).
As a scholar, he has published extensively, including his acclaimed book Thai Art: Currencies of the Contemporary (2017), which examines the globalization of Thai contemporary art. In addition to his curatorial and academic roles, Teh is recognized for his contributions to fostering cross-cultural dialogue and expanding the discourse on contemporary art in Southeast Asia.
Carol Yinghua Lu is a curator, writer, and art historian. She currently serves as the Director of Beijing Inside-Out Art Museum and a professor in the School of Arts at the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in Beijing. Lu has contributed extensively to critical discourse in contemporary art, focusing on Chinese modern and contemporary art histories. She was one of the co-artistic directors of the 7th Gwangju Biennale (2008) and a co-curator of the 2012 Tate Modern research project The World in 2013.
Lu is also known for her work as a contributing editor for Frieze magazine and her participation in various international curatorial projects. Her academic research delves into the complexities of cultural production and the intersections of art and socio-political contexts in China. Her contributions have helped shape the understanding and presentation of Chinese contemporary art on a global scale.
