{"id":2,"date":"2024-01-01T14:31:20","date_gmt":"2024-01-01T14:31:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/keithwhittle.org\/?page_id=2"},"modified":"2026-04-02T13:25:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T13:25:18","slug":"sample-page","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/keithwhittle.org\/?page_id=2","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Keith Whittle is a curator, writer, and visiting professor with over two decades of experience in contemporary art. His curatorial practice is defined by a commitment to transdisciplinary, intergenerational, and international collaboration. Whittle\u2019s work unites a diverse array of artists, critics, curators, historians, and communities through research-driven, conceptually robust projects that bridge historical and contemporary perspectives.<\/p>\n

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His curatorial approach focuses on new tendencies in contemporary art, embracing a wide spectrum of practices and media. He often works with emerging, unaffiliated artists, supporting those who have yet to receive broader critical, curatorial, or commercial attention\u2014many of whom later gain wider recognition. With a particular interest in artists who push the boundaries of form and concept, Whittle seeks to foreground experimental practices that provoke critical dialogue.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n

He began his career with group and solo exhibitions featuring Jo Spence<\/strong> and Rosy Martin<\/strong>\u2014pivotal figures in British feminist art and photography from the late 1970s onward\u2014alongside exhibitions exploring art, activism, and epidemiology during the global AIDS pandemic. During this period, he also presented a solo show of pioneering Nigerian-born photographer Rotimi Fani-Kayode<\/strong>, whose work challenged Western perceptions of Africa and the African diaspora through radical examinations of identity, sexuality, race, and religion.<\/p>\n

Whittle went on to tour seminal figures in experimental film, video, and performance, including Marina Abramovi\u0107 & Ulay<\/strong>, Vito Acconci<\/strong>, Bill Viola<\/strong>, and Gary Hill<\/strong>. This was followed by exhibitions featuring then-emerging artists popularly referred to as YBAs (Young British Artists) such as Sam Taylor-Johnson<\/strong>, Georgina Starr<\/strong>, Douglas Gordon<\/strong>, and Jane and Louise Wilson<\/strong>, alongside American contemporaries Alex Bag<\/strong> and Vanessa Beecroft<\/strong>. He subsequently worked on new commissions and major national touring exhibitions of artists\u2019 moving image, print, photography, and new media, including Abigail Lane<\/strong>, Michael Landy<\/strong>, Turner Prize winners Gillian Wearing<\/strong>, Mark Leckey<\/strong>, Elizabeth Price<\/strong>, and Laure Prouvost<\/strong>, as well as nominees Isaac Julien<\/strong> and Janice Kerbel<\/strong>, and Venice Biennale Golden Lion recipient Sonia Boyce<\/strong>. He has also curated displays of work by John Akomfrah<\/strong> and pioneering filmmaker, artist, writer, and activist Derek Jarman<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

His <\/span>more <\/span>recent <\/span>work <\/span>has <\/span>focused <\/span>on <\/span>artists, <\/span>practices, <\/span>and <\/span>cultural <\/span>heritages <\/span>from <\/span>East <\/span>and <\/span>Southeast <\/span>Asia, <\/span>developed <\/span>through <\/span>exhibitions, <\/span>residencies, <\/span>talks, <\/span>and <\/span>live <\/span>programmes. <\/span>Featured <\/span>artists <\/span>include <\/span>Satoru <\/span><\/strong>Aoyama<\/strong>, <\/span>Shigeo <\/span><\/strong>Anzai<\/strong>, <\/span>Chim\u2191<\/span><\/strong>Pom<\/strong>, <\/span>Hoo Fan Chon<\/strong>, <\/span>Taro <\/span><\/strong>Izumi<\/strong>, <\/span>Jia <\/span><\/strong>Aili<\/strong>, <\/span>Mari <\/span><\/strong>Katayama<\/strong>, <\/span>Meiro <\/span><\/strong>Koizumi<\/strong>, <\/span>Kyunchome<\/strong>, <\/span>Yuko <\/span><\/strong>Mohri<\/strong>, <\/span>Aki <\/span><\/strong>Sasamoto<\/strong>, <\/span>and <\/span>Chikako <\/span><\/strong>Yamashiro<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alongside <\/span>these <\/span>projects, <\/span>Whittle <\/span>has <\/span>served <\/span>as <\/span>a <\/span>co-<\/span>curator <\/span>and <\/span>programme <\/span>director <\/span>for <\/span>a <\/span>range <\/span>of <\/span>international <\/span>residencies <\/span>and <\/span>exhibitions. <\/span>He <\/span>was <\/span>nominated <\/span>for <\/span>the <\/span>inaugural <\/span>OCAT<\/strong> \u2013 <\/span>OCT <\/span>Contemporary <\/span>Art <\/span>Terminal <\/span>International <\/span>Art <\/span>Residency <\/span>in <\/span>China, <\/span>a <\/span>programme <\/span>affiliated <\/span>with <\/span>the <\/span>He <\/span>Xiangning <\/span>Art <\/span><\/strong>Museum<\/strong>. <\/span>He <\/span>later <\/span>curated <\/span>large-<\/span>scale <\/span>presentations <\/span>of <\/span>contemporary <\/span>Chinese <\/span>art <\/span>as <\/span>part <\/span>of <\/span>CHINA <\/span>Now <\/span><\/strong>and <\/span>EAST.08<\/strong>, <\/span>as <\/span>well <\/span>as <\/span>artist <\/span>exchanges <\/span>and <\/span>exhibitions <\/span>for <\/span>the <\/span>UK\u2013<\/span>Japan 2008 <\/span><\/strong>festival <\/span>in <\/span>partnership <\/span>with <\/span>the <\/span>British <\/span>Council <\/span>China <\/span><\/strong>and <\/span>the <\/span>British <\/span>Council <\/span><\/strong>Japan<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whittle <\/span>has <\/span>also <\/span>commissioned <\/span>new <\/span>works <\/span>that <\/span>bring <\/span>together <\/span>emerging <\/span>and <\/span>established <\/span>practitioners, <\/span>enabling <\/span>ambitious, <\/span>site-<\/span>responsive <\/span>projects <\/span>across <\/span>diverse <\/span>cultural <\/span>contexts <\/span>and <\/span>locations. <\/span>These <\/span>include <\/span>new <\/span>commissions <\/span>by <\/span>Sutapa <\/span>Biswas <\/span><\/strong>and <\/span>Adam <\/span><\/strong>Chodzko<\/strong>, <\/span>as <\/span>well <\/span>as <\/span>Erika <\/span>Tan <\/span><\/strong>and <\/span>Mio <\/span><\/strong>Shirai<\/strong>, <\/span>alongside working <\/span>Adel <\/span><\/strong>Abdessemed<\/strong>, <\/span>Michael <\/span><\/strong>Lin<\/strong>, <\/span>Sarkis<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>Young-<\/span>Hae <\/span>Chang <\/span>Heavy <\/span><\/strong>Industries<\/strong>, <\/span>Jiang <\/span><\/strong>Zhi<\/strong>, <\/span>and <\/span>Sun <\/span><\/strong>Xun <\/strong>on\u00a0site-specific projects.<\/span><\/p>\n

He has also led international academic collaborations and symposia at Central Saint Martins<\/strong>, resulting in initiatives such as the Global Art Joint Project,<\/strong>\u00a0launched in 2015 by the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts, in collaboration with leading global art institutions: \u00c9cole Nationale Sup\u00e9rieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris<\/strong>; Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London<\/strong>; and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago<\/strong>. He has curated and spoken at events on Biennialisation<\/strong>, collective and participatory practices<\/strong>, and shifts in the art world under globalization, collaborating with leading artists, curators, and scholars such as Lewis Biggs<\/strong>, Adrian Favell<\/strong>, Leah Gordon<\/strong>, Yuko Hasegawa<\/strong>, Fram Kitagawa<\/strong>, Shubigi Rao<\/strong>, Mark Rappolt<\/strong>, Andrea Schlieker<\/strong>, Mizuki Takahashi<\/strong>, and Koki Tanaka<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

His practice has shifted from extensive collaboration with artists to a research-led PhD in art history and writing. When collaboration with artists occurs, it is undertaken through his arts agency, Fountain<\/strong>, and arises solely in relation to this work.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Selected Experience<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Founder<\/strong> and Director<\/strong> of Fountain<\/strong><\/a> and Tokyo Contemporary<\/strong>, supporting and exploring innovative art practices.<\/p>\n

Recipient of the Cultural Leadership Programme Award<\/strong>, a UK government-funded honor recognising excellence in leadership among dynamic and diverse leaders of the 21st century.<\/p>\n

Associate Curator and Advisor<\/strong> (Exhibition Programme and Gallery Strategy) at White Rainbow, Fitzrovia, London a gallery showcasing the work of international artists with a focus on contemporary art from Japan.<\/p>\n

Advisor<\/strong> and Assistant Director of the Beppu Triennial<\/strong>; Curator, Programme Director<\/strong> and Co-<\/em>Producer<\/strong> at Kashiwa Artist Residence, Japan.<\/p>\n

Lecturer <\/strong>in Modern and Contemporary Japanese Art<\/strong> at Sotheby\u2019s Institute of Art<\/strong>; Guest Lecturer in Fine Art at Tokyo University of the Arts<\/strong>; and Visiting Professor<\/strong> at various comparable institutions.<\/p>\n

Japan Foundation Fellow<\/strong>, as part of a programme supporting outstanding scholars, researchers, and professionals with opportunities to conduct research in Japan; and Fellow <\/strong>at Central Saint Martins<\/strong>, University of the Arts London<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Responsible for International Projects<\/strong> at Central Saint Martins<\/strong>, University of the Arts London<\/strong>, with outcomes including the establishment of the Global Art Joint Project in collaboration with the Graduate School of Fine Arts<\/strong> at Tokyo University of the Arts<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Advisor<\/strong> and Art Consultant<\/strong> for galleries, academic institutions, and cultural <\/span>organizations<\/span> including<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Arts Council England<\/strong> and the British Council<\/strong>. Speaker at cultural institutions such as\u00a0The Japan Foundation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Formerly responsible for artists\u2019 moving image projects at Film and Video Umbrella<\/strong>, the UK\u2019s leading agency for commissioning and producing moving-image works, presented in collaboration with galleries and cultural partners across the country. Similarly, New Media Exhibitions and Digital Media Art Festival at the ICA | Institute of Contemporary Arts<\/strong>, exploring the possibilities of digital media and moving image in collaboration with international artists and digital media specialists.<\/p>\n

Fellow and Director of Time-Based Media\u00a0Art<\/strong> at the University of Sunderland<\/strong>, responsible for researching and curating new media and moving image projects in collaboration with regional, national, and international partners. Additionally, as Adjunct Researcher<\/strong> at the Center for Art and Media (ZKM)<\/strong> in Karlsruhe, Germany, he explored institutional archives and curatorial strategies focused on time-based media, including video, film, slides, audio, and both physical and digital computer technologies.<\/p>\n

Exhibitions<\/strong> and Publications Officer<\/strong> at Watershed Media Centre<\/strong>, working with regional and national partners, Arts Council England and the British Film Institute.<\/p>\n

Production<\/strong> and Editorial Assistant<\/strong> at ellipsis London<\/strong>, Sundays Times Small Publisher of the Year 1996.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Keith Whittle is a curator, writer, and visiting professor with over two decades of experience in contemporary art. His curatorial practice is defined by a commitment to transdisciplinary, intergenerational, and international collaboration. Whittle\u2019s work unites a diverse array of artists, critics, curators, historians, and communities through research-driven, conceptually robust projects that bridge historical and contemporary…<\/p>\nRead More<\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":7,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","col-md-4 col-sm-6"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/keithwhittle.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/keithwhittle.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/keithwhittle.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/keithwhittle.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/keithwhittle.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2"}],"version-history":[{"count":354,"href":"https:\/\/keithwhittle.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6129,"href":"https:\/\/keithwhittle.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2\/revisions\/6129"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/keithwhittle.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}