- Photo: Ryszard Kasiewicz
Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev has been elected the Artistic Director of the documenta 13, which is scheduled to take place from June 9th, 2012 to September 16th, 2012 in Kassel.
Bernd Leifeld, CEO of documenta und Museum Fridericianum Veranstaltungs-GmbH announced today (03.12.2008) that in an unanimous decision the Supervisory Board of documenta followed the proposal of the international finding committee.
Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev works as a curator and writer in Rome, Turin and New York. She is currently the Chief Curator at the Castello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art in Turin and was the Artistic Director for the 16th Sydney Biennale (2008). From 1999 to 2001 she was Senior Curator of Exhibitions at P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center – a MoMA Affiliate. Previously, she organized exhibitions as an independent curator in different countries.
The Lord Mayor of Kassel, Bertram Hilgen, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the organisation, the Vice Chairman, State Minister Silke Lautenschläger, and Professor Kasper König, the speaker of the finding committee, presented the new Artistic Director in a press conference held at the documenta-Halle.
State Minister Silke Lautenschläger promises fascinating perspectives on contemporary art by the appointment of Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, who has studied both literature and the history of art. Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev is a real power woman who will, without a doubt, master the documenta challenge. «I am sure that this internationally renowned curator will give the documenta bright new impulses». The national and international significance of the art exhibition cannot be estimated highly enough.
Lord Mayor, Bertram Hilgen stated that he is sure that with the announcement of Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev as the Artistic Director of documenta 13, the success story of the world wide most important art exhibition is being continued. “The international curator is also bringing an excellent reputation with her to Kassel next to her store of experience as curator and Chief Curator of the Turin Castello di Rivoli, and indeed the documenta exhibitions will in years to come again have a charisma in the artistic world: «I am really looking forward to working with Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev which promises to be exciting!»
At the same time the Lord Mayor thanks the international finding committee which suggested Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev after intensive consultation.
top left: Bernd Leifeld, Paulo Herkenhoff, Bertram Hilgen, Rein Wolfs, Joseph Backstein, Kasper König;
Photo: Ryszard Kasiewicz
The preparations for documenta 13 have already begun.
On 06. and 07. April 2008 the international committee of the artistic director of documenta 13 met in Kassel for the first time.
Bernd Leifeld, CEO of documenta und Museum Fridericianum Veranstaltungs-GmbH, introduced the international finding committee in Kassel. The committee of nine members has the aim of finding an artistic director for documenta 13. The members are :
Mr. Joseph Backstein
Director Institute of Contemporary Art Moscow, Artistic Director State Centre for Museums and Exhibitions « Rosizo », Moscow Biennial 2007
Mr. Manuel J. Borja-Villel
Director Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia Madrid (formerly Director MACBA Barcelona)
Ms. Kathy Halbreich
Associate Director Museum of Modern Art New York (formerly Director Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Mr. Paulo Herkenhoff
Freelance Curator (formerly Director Museu Nacional Belas Artes Rio, Adjunct Curator MoMa New York, Director Sao Paulo Biennial 1998)
Mr. Oscar Ho
Director MA Programme in Cultural Management, Chinese University of
Hong Kong (formerly Exhibition Director of the Hong Kong Arts Centre and Founding Director of Museum of Contemporary Art Shanghai)
Mr. Udo Kittelmann
Director Museum fuer Moderne Kunst Frankfurt / Main (formerly Director Koelnischer Kunstverein and 2001 Commissioner German Pavillion Biennal Venice)
Mr. Kasper Koenig
Director Museum Ludwig, Koeln (formerly Director Portikus and Professor Staedelschule Frankfurt/Main)
Ms. Elizabeth Ann Macgregor
Director Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney (formerly Director Ikon Gallery Birmingham)
Mr. Rein Wolfs
Artistic Director of the Kunsthalle Fridericianum Kassel (formerly Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen Rotterdam)
The international committee proposes the artistic director of the documenta 13 to the supervisory board of documenta und Museum Fridericianum Veranstaltungs-GmbH, who will then be officially confirmed by the board. The supervisory board consists of 5 representatives of the city of Kassel, 5 representatives of the State of Hessia and 2 representatives of the Federal Cultural Foundation.
documenta 13 will take place from 09. 06. until 16. 09. 2012 in Kassel.
www.documenta.de