Turkish Curator Named New Director Of David Roberts Art Foundation
Fatoş Üstek has been announced as the director of the London-based nonprofit contemporary arts foundation
The London-based nonprofit organisation David Roberts Art Foundation has named Fatoş Üstek as its new director following the departure of Vincent Honore, who took on the position of senior curator at the Hayward Gallery. The Turkish independent curator and writer will be in charge of managing the foundation’s presence, expansion and implementation of fresh initiatives across London and the UK, and will begin building the foundation’s values through a new chapter of artistic and critical agency.
“I am delighted to join DRAF at this exciting moment for the organisation as it expands to a new UK-wide programme,” she says. “I am working with the team to build on DRAF’s dynamic reputation for original performances and projects in London. Together, we will forge a new model of collaboration and cross-learning, placing artists and their practices at the centre of our programme as we explore fresh approaches to support artistic and critical positions.”
Üstek joins the team following recognition by the Evening Standard of her Art Night programme. The live commission festival featured 11 artists intervening into public spaces across London and saw Üstek’s project cement her place as one of the Progress 1000 – a list of influential figures. Prior to that, she oversaw fig-2, a series of 50 weeklong exhibitions at ICA Studio in London, as well as serving as associate curator at the 10th Gwangju Biennale.
The appointment will see Üstek curate the 11th edition of the foundation’s Evening of Performances. “This October, I will curate the 11th edition of DRAF’s celebrated Evening of Performances, which this year returns to historic London music hall KOKO during Frieze week,” she says. “I am excited to work closely with the artists to develop and produce an exceptional evening of live work to share with the public. I am also looking forward very much to the original projects planned for 2018 in partnership with MOSTYN Wales and guest curator Victor Wang.” This falls under the remit of David Roberts Art Foundation’s rotating programme of exhibitions, performances, commissions and discussions, as well as special collaborations with over 1,000 artists in the last decade.