Hans Ulrich Obrist

Hans Ulrich Obrist is a Swiss-born curator, critic, and historian of art, renowned as one of the most influential figures in the global contemporary art world. Since 2006, he has served as the Co-Director of the Serpentine Galleries in London, where he has championed interdisciplinary and experimental projects. His prolific career is characterized by marathon interviews, innovative exhibition formats, and a vast network of collaborations with artists, architects, and thinkers worldwide, fundamentally shaping 21st-century curatorial practice.

Early life and education

Born in Zürich, Obrist developed an early interest in art and cross-disciplinary exchange. He initially studied economics and social sciences at the University of St. Gallen, but his path shifted decisively after organizing his first exhibition, *World Soup (The Kitchen Show)*, in his own kitchen in 1991. This early, unconventional project featured artists like Christian Boltanski and Peter Fischli & David Weiss, establishing a template for his future site-responsive and conversational approach to curation. His formative years were also influenced by extensive travels and dialogues with pioneering figures such as the architects Alvaro Siza and Cedric Price.

Career and curatorial work

Obrist's curatorial career began in earnest at the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, where he curated notable exhibitions. He gained international prominence as a curator at the Musée d'Art Contemporain de Lyon and through directorial roles at the Kunsthalle Zürich. A defining moment was his co-curation of the 1996 exhibition *Laboratorium* in Antwerp, which explored the studio as a site of research. At the Serpentine Galleries, he has overseen an ambitious program, including the renowned annual Serpentine Pavilion commission, engaging architects like Zaha Hadid, Rem Koolhaas, and Balkrishna Doshi. He also co-founded the 89plus research project with Simon Castets, focusing on a generation of artists born in or after 1989, and has organized epic non-stop interview marathons and the ongoing *Do It* project, inspired by instructions from Bertolt Brecht.

Publications and writings

Obrist is an extraordinarily prolific author and editor, having conducted thousands of interviews that form the backbone of his published work. His landmark series *The Interview Project* compiles dialogues with hundreds of cultural figures, from Marina Abramović to David Lynch. Key monographs include *Ways of Curating* and *A Brief History of Curating*. He has also edited volumes on subjects ranging from Gerhard Richter's paintings to the future of cities, and regularly contributes to publications like *Artforum* and *Frieze*. His writing practice is an integral extension of his curatorial method, treating conversation as a primary medium for generating and documenting ideas.

Influence and legacy

Obrist's influence extends far beyond traditional museum walls, redefining the curator's role as that of a catalyst, networker, and public intellectual. His advocacy for "thinking in exhibitions" and his endurance formats, like the 24-hour interview marathon, have inspired a generation of curators. He has been instrumental in promoting the work of countless artists globally and in fostering dialogues between art, science, architecture, and literature. Recognized with honors such as the Bard College Award for Curatorial Excellence and being included on *ArtReview*'s Power 100 list for decades, his legacy lies in creating a vibrant, expansive, and conversational ecosystem for contemporary art.

Personal life

Based primarily in London, Obrist maintains an intensely peripatetic lifestyle, constantly traveling for projects, lectures, and interviews. He is known for his meticulous note-taking in distinctive red notebooks, a lifelong practice documenting his encounters. His personal and professional life are deeply intertwined, with his social network constituting a living archive of contemporary cultural thought. While private about certain details, his public persona is almost entirely defined by his boundless intellectual curiosity and commitment to facilitating creative exchange across all disciplines.

Category:Swiss curators Category:Art critics Category:1968 births Category:Living people