TIMIșOARA.- The Art Encounters Foundation in Timișoara announces its collaboration with Philippe Van Cauteren, Artistic Director of the S.M.A.K. Museum in Ghent (Belgium), as appointed curator of the 7th edition of the Art Encounters Biennial, to be held in Timișoara (Romania). The Biennial will run from May 21 to July 4 2027, opening with a three-day program from May 21–23.
The appointment also marks the beginning of a long-term strategic partnership between Art Encounters and S.M.A.K., opening a new chapter in the Biennial's development. Bringing together one of Europe's leading institutions dedicated to contemporary art and one of the region's most important biennials, the collaboration is structured around artistic co-production and professional exchange, with the aim of developing a sustainable model for conceiving and delivering a contemporary art biennial today.
Philippe Van Cauteren’s involvement brings to the center of the 2027 edition a curatorial vision built around dialogue with artists and critical reflection on the role of the museum and the biennial in contemporary society.
"The invitation to curate the Art Encounters Biennial 2027 is a great honor. I am delighted to contribute to this vital and unique project which promotes the visibility of art and artists through dialogue and collaboration. The opportunity to contribute to the legacy of the Biennial is a chance to learn, to discover, and to share both the local identity of Timișoara, and the constellation of relations that the working process brings. I am convinced that the Art Encounters Biennial 2027 will be more than an exhibition; it will also be a platform for national and international exchanges, including with S.M.A.K., among others." – Philippe Van Cauteren
Van Cauteren has led S.M.A.K. (the Museum of Contemporary Art in Ghent) for over 15 years, making it one of the European institutions that have played an active role in supporting contemporary art in recent decades. Under his direction, the museum has developed an internationally relevant collection and initiated numerous collaborations with artists, biennials, and major institutions, including participation in the Venice Biennale. His curatorial practice is recognized for its closeness to artists and its ability to connect local scenes with international cultural networks. Philippe Van Cauteren has published, among others, the book "Letters to Artists," a compilation of letters he has written to artists over the past 15 years.
"For us, working with Philippe Van Cauteren and S.M.A.K. represents a partnership grounded in genuine exchange, co-production, and professional development. At the same time, his appointment highlights a curatorial approach we strongly believe in—one that allows the central importance of art in our lives to be recognized by everyone, as a vital force in both personal and collective growth." – Diana Marincu, Artistic Director of the Art Encounters Foundation
The Art Encounters Biennial is the flagship project of the Art Encounters Foundation and stands at the intersection between an experimental art festival and a contemporary art biennial. It is based on extensive curatorial research, engaging in a real dialogue with the historical and socio-cultural context of Timișoara. The Biennial’s mission is to become a creative meeting point for artists, communities, institutions, and ideas.
Philippe Van Cauteren is trained as an art historian and sociologist. He is the artistic director of S.M.A.K. (Museum for Contemporary Art, Ghent, Belgium). In the past decades he has made exhibitions in Brazil, Chile, Iraq, Turkey, Nepal, Belgium. He was a.o. curator of the Belgian Pavilion (2013) and Iraq Pavilion (2015) in the Venice Biennial, and curator of the first Kathmandu Triennial (2017) in Nepal. In 2027 he will be curator of the Art Encounters Biennial in Timișoara, Romania.
Art Encounters Biennial 2027 is funded by the City of Timișoara through the Centre for Projects, and it's organized in partnership with S.M.A.K Ghent.
