Keith Whittle is a curator, programme director, and research fellow who lives and works between London and Tokyo.
With twenty years of experience in research, commissioning, and exhibiting contemporary art, he has worked with emerging and established artists, cultural institutions and venues like the British Council, Tate Modern, MOMA, V&A South Kensington, Camden Arts Centre and Japan Foundation on projects that include monographic, thematic and inter-institutional national and international exhibitions and events.
Through commissions, he has been fortunate to work on curatorial projects with Michael Landy, Turner Prize winner Mark Leckey, nominees Issac Julian and Venice Golden Lion winner Sonia Boyce.
With a recent focus on solo and group shows championing the work of emerging and mid-career Japanese artists working in a range of media including Chim↑Pom, Bontaro Dokuyama, Taro Izumi, Kyunchome, Mari Katayama, Meiro Koizumi, Yuko Mohri, Aki Sasamoto and Chikako Yamashiro.
Selected Experience
Recipient of a Cultural Leadership Programme Award, a UK government-funded award for excellence in leadership given to emerging and established world-class, dynamic, and diverse leaders for the 21st Century.
Associate Curator and Directoral Advisor at White Rainbow Gallery, presenting the work of international artists focusing on contemporary art from Japan.
Advisor and Assistant Director of the Beppu Triennial; Curator and Programme Director at Kashiwa Artist in Residence, Japan.
Lecturer in Modern and Contemporary Japanese Art at Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Guest Lecturer in Fine Art at Tokyo University of the Arts, and Visiting Professor at similar institutions.
Japan Foundation Fellow as part of a program that supports outstanding scholars, researchers, and professionals by offering the opportunity to conduct research in Japan, and Fellow at Central Saint Martin’s, University of the Arts London.
Responsible for International Projects at Central Saint Martin’s, University of the Arts London, Outcomes that include the establishment of the joint Global Art Joint Project of the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts.
Advisor and art consultant for galleries, academic institutions, and cultural organizations including Arts Council England and The British Council. Speaker at cultural institutions such as The Japan Foundation.
Formally responsible for artists’ moving image projects at Film and Video Umbrella, the leading UK agency in commissioning and producing moving-image works, presented in collaboration with galleries and other cultural partners across the UK.
Similarly, the New Media Department and Digital Media Art Festival at ICA | Institute of Contemporary Arts exploring the possibilities of digital media and moving image, working with international artists and digital media specialists.
Director of Time-Based Media at the University of Sunderland, responsible for researching and curating new media and moving image projects in collaboration with regional, national and international partners.
Adjunct Research Fellow the Center for Art and Media (ZKM) in Karlsruhe, Germany, exploring institutional archives and curatorial strategies with a focus on time-based media such as video, film, slide, audio, and computer technologies, both physical and digital.