GATESHEAD.- BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art announced the appointment of Irene Aristizábal in the new role of Head of Curatorial and Public Practice. She will take up the position in March 2019 and will lead the curatorial team, working with BALTIC’s Director Sarah Munro to deliver BALTIC’s ambitious civic mission on both a local and global level.

Irene Aristizábal has worked as Head of Exhibitions at Nottingham Contemporary since 2013, where she has curated exhibitions and commissioned projects by Pia Camil, Steffani Jemison, Otobong Nkanga, Simon Starling, Michael Beutler, Pauline Boudry/Renate Lorenz, Sun Ra, Rana Hamadeh, Danai Anesiadou, Danh Võ, Carol Rama and Asco. Recent group exhibitions include Still I Rise: Feminisms, Gender Resistance (2018 – co-curated with Rosie Cooper and Cédric Fauq) and States of America: Photography from the Civil Rights Movement to the Reagan Era (2017 – co-curated with Abi Spinks).

Irene will also co-curate British Art Show 9, alongside Hammad Nasar which opens in Manchester in 2020, and then tour to Wolverhampton, Aberdeen and Plymouth. Aristizábal was curator at the FRAC Nord Pas de Calais, Dunkirk in 2010–11, and was the recipient of the H+F Curatorial Grant (2010). Prior to that she co-directed the not-for-profit space Bétonsalon in Paris (2005-06). She has also curated exhibitions at the Fundació Miró, Barcelona; Maison Rouge, Paris; Form Content, London and the Museum of Health Sciences, Bogota.

Speaking today about the appointment Sarah Munro, Director of BALTIC said: “I am thrilled that Irene Aristizábal is to become the Head of Curatorial and Public Practice at BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art. Irene is a deeply respected and knowledgeable curator with significant experience of embedding complex public programmes within exhibition making practice. BALTIC is leading a new conversation and vision in response to urgent times and I’m so pleased to have Irene’s vision, drive and expertise standing alongside me as we rise to the challenges ahead”

Irene commented: “I am delighted to be joining BALTIC as Head of Curatorial and Public Practice. I have long admired BALTIC’s internationally recognised programme and its strong commitment to supporting the local artistic community. I am thrilled to be joining BALTIC at this exciting time and look forward to working with colleagues and partners to develop an exciting and ambitious programme.”