PARSONS FINE ARTS

Hendrik Folkerts (M.A., Art History, University of Amsterdam) is the Dittmer Curator of Contemporary Art at the Art Institute of Chicago. His commitment to performance and body politics, global and feminist art histories, and supporting the work of contemporary artists through the process of commissioning, unfolds in exhibitions, collection presentations, and performance and research programs at the Art Institute—for instance the exhibition I strongly believe in our right to be frivolous of the work of Lebanese artist Mounira Al Solh (February 8 – April 29, 2018); iterations (2019-2021), a series of performance commissions that presents new works by Alexandra Bachzetsis, Math Bass, Cevdet Erek, Ralph Lemon, Paulina Olowska, Cally Spooner, and Evelyn T. Wang; a solo exhibition of the work of Malangatana Ngwenya, one of Mozambique’s most important modern artists (March 21 – July 7, 2020); and a solo exhibition of Cape Town-based artist Igshaan Adams, planned for 2022. He was curator at documenta 14 (Athens, April 8 – July 16 / Kassel, June 10 – September 17, 2017) from 2014 until 2017. Together with the team led by artistic director Adam Szymczyk, he was responsible for the exhibitions in Athens, Greece, and Kassel, Germany. With a focus on performance and scores, indigenous practices, and Southeast Asian & Pacific art, he also shepherded a larger number of new artist commissions for the exhibition.