Hans Ulrich Obrist, a native of Zurich, Switzerland, is codirector of exhibitions and programmes and director of international projects at London’s Serpentine Gallery, a position he has held since 2006. He has also served as curator of the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (2000–2006) and the museum in progress, Vienna (1993–2000). Obrist has curated or co-curated more than 200 solo and group exhibitions and biennales throughout Europe and the United States, as well as in Asia and Africa, notably including Il Tempo del Postino, co-curated with Philippe Parreno for the 2007 Manchester International Festival and also presented at Art Basel, 2009, and the Marathon series of public events. The first event in the Serpentine series, the Interview Marathon (2006), featured interviews with leading figures in contemporary culture conducted over 24 hours by Obrist and architect Rem Koolhaas. This was followed by the Experiment Marathon, conceived by Obrist and artist Olafur Eliasson; the Manifesto Marathon; and the Poetry Marathon.
Obrist is a contributing editor of Abitare, Artforum, Paradis Magazine, and 032c Magazine. Recent publications include A Brief History of Curating; Gerhard Richter Text; The Pen is the Sister of the Brush, Maria Lassnig; Gerhard Richter Obrist; Ai Weiwei, Ways Beyond Art; Pars Pro Toto II; and The Conversation Series, Volumes 1–20. He received the Van Alen Institute’s New York Prize Senior Fellowship (2007–2008), and in 2009 he was made an honorary fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
