Weekly News Roundup: March 29, 2024
By The Editors
ZAO WOU-KI, Untitled, 1968, lithograph. Courtesy Fondation Zao Wou-Ki.
M+ Receives Major Works by French-Chinese Painter Zao Wou-Ki
M+ museum in Hong Kong has received a major donation of works by the late Zao Wou-Ki, a French-Chinese master abstract painter. The acquisition, which consists of over 220 prints and proofs, 24 illustrated books and pamphlets, as well as associated material from across Zao’s illustrious career, was provided by the artist’s wife and estate manager, Françoise Marquet-Zao. She sought to expand upon the M+ collection of Zao’s works, some of which were gifted by his daughter, Sin-May Roy Zao, in March 2022. Museum director Suhanya Raffel stated: “Through this donation, M+ will be the only museum outside of France—and the only one in Asia—that has an almost complete catalog of prints and illustrated books by the artist. This philanthropic gesture is the consummate celebration of Chinese-French relations and furthers the legacy of artistic and cultural exchange between the two countries.”
Portrait (from left to right) of MELANIE POCOCK, LINZI STAUVERS, and IAN HYDE. Photo by Ayesha Jones. Courtesy Ikon, Birmingham.
New Leadership Team to Join the UK’s Ikon Gallery
Coinciding with Ikon’s 60th anniversary, the Birmingham public art gallery announced that it has appointed Ian Hyde as chief executive officer, Melanie Pocock as artistic director of exhibitions, and Linzi Stauvers as artistic director of education. The new leadership team stated that they aim to “forge new cultural, industrial and communal partnerships.” Hyde joined Ikon in 2016, and as the former chief operating officer is well versed with business operations, particularly managing engagement with key stakeholders while spearheading the search for new revenue streams and strategic relationships. Pocock, who will lead exhibition programs, publications, and off-site projects, joined Ikon in 2020 as a curator; her most recent curatorial project was “Passionate Pilgrim” (2023), a major solo presentation by Indonesian performance artist Melati Suryodarmo. Meanwhile, Stauvers has worked with Ikon since 2017 on long-term projects such as the institution’s Youth Program, which takes place aboard a converted boat. As artistic director, Stauvers will lead education programs with universities, schools, charities, and criminal justice partners.
Portrait of TILL FELLRATH and SAM BARDOUIL. Courtesy Taipei Fine Arts Museum.
Taipei Biennial Announces Curators for 14th Edition
Taipei Fine Arts Museum (TFAM) revealed on March 25 that the 14th Taipei Biennial will be curated by the Lebanese-German curatorial duo Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath, current directors of Hamburger Bahnhof Museum for Contemporary Art in Berlin. Bardaouil and Fellrath are both known for their multicultural approach that stems from a diverse background in art history, theater, economics, and political science. Bardouil and Fellrath’s curatorial practice focuses on developing novel public programs that engage with diverse communities, and is informed by the interaction between local and global conditions. TFAM director Jun-Jieh Wang said that “as the baton is passed on to the curatorial duo of Bardaouil and Fellrath, we envision a platform that transcends national boundaries, and offers enduring reflective dialogues informed by a variety of perspectives and experiences.” The 14th Taipei Biennial runs from November 2025 to March 2026.
