Mohamed Almusibli to Lead Kunsthalle Basel

Swiss curator Mohamed Almusibli has been announced as the new director and chief curator of Kunsthalle Basel. He fills the position vacated by Elena Filipovic, who in June accepted the role of director of the larger Kunstmuseum Basel after nine years helming the kunsthalle. Almusibli arrives to his new job from Amsterdam’s Hartwig Art Foundation, where he is a consultant, and from the Geneva-based independent project space Cherish, which he cofounded with James Bantone, Thomas Liu Le Lann, and Ser Serpas in a house the four were living in, and of which he is director. He will step into his new role on March 1, 2024.

The kunsthalle in a press release praised Almusibli for “his close links with contemporary artists, his fresh perspective of the use of technology, his awareness of the local art scene and his own personality.” Particularly of interest to the institution was his “proposed program . . . showcasing exciting emerging practices while creating a dialogue with more historical positions.”RelatedCOLETTE PIERCE BURNETTE LEAVES NEWFIELDS AFTER 15 MONTHS AS CEOMILLER ICA TO GET NEW HOME, REBRAND AS INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART PITTSBURGH “It is an honor to have been appointed to the position of director and chief curator of Kunsthalle Basel, an institution with a great history of artistic innovation and cultural discourse that has always placed the artist at its center and has come to stand as a beacon in the art world,” Almusibli said in statement.“I am humbled to follow in the footsteps of my predecessor, Elena Filipovic, whose impactful leadership profoundly shaped the kunsthalle’s distinguished profile.

Building upon this strong foundation, my objective is to sustain and enrich kunsthalle’s tradition of excellence and its unwavering commitment to the art of our time as a seminal space for groundbreaking exhibitions. I look forward to collaborating with the remarkable team at Kunsthalle Basel, the board, and the wider art community to cultivate a dynamic program that engages and challenges our audiences, all while keeping the artists’ vision at the forefront of our mission.”.