Morad Montazami, Artistic Director of the 16th Dakar Biennale

Morad Montazami, an Iranian-French art historian, publisher, and curator, has been selected as Artistic Director of the 16th edition of the Dakar Biennale (Biennale of Contemporary African Art). The decision was made by the event’s Steering Committee, entrusting him with the development and realization of a curatorial project that introduces a fresh perspective aligned with the biennale’s core values and objectives.

The central theme of this edition, “(Anti-)Fragility: Repair Arts and Strategies of Resistance to Shock,” foregrounds the role of art in responding to crises and in processes of individual and collective reconstruction. In Montazami’s view, (anti-)fragility signifies the transformation of vulnerable conditions into a form of creative strength—an approach that, through an emphasis on social bonds, collective collaboration, and co-creative processes, enables the emergence of new artistic expressions.

Montazami previously served as Curator for the Middle East and North Africa at Tate Modern in London from 2014 to 2019. He is also the founder of Zamân Books & Curating, a publishing and curatorial platform dedicated to the reexamination and revaluation of modern and contemporary art from Africa, Asia, and the Arab world, as well as postcolonial art histories. His appointment to this edition of the Dakar Biennale can be seen as a reflection of the event’s growing engagement with interdisciplinary approaches and critical perspectives within contemporary art.

Cover and Slider Image:

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