The Van Abbemuseum has appointed Defne Ayas as its new director. She succeeds Charles Esche, who will step down after two decades in the role.
Ayas is a director, curator and editor working at the intersection of culture, technology, spirituality and politics. She has cocurated major biennials including the 11th Baltic Triennale, Vilnius (2012); the 6th Moscow Biennale (2018) and the 13th Gwangju Biennale (2021) and has curated the Turkish pavilion of the 56th Venice Biennale (2015). From 2012 to 2017 she was the director of Kunstinstituut Melly (formerly known as Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art), Rotterdam, and she is currently serving as curator-at-large at Performa, New York. In August 2023, Ayas found herself at the centre of a crisis surrounding the Istanbul Biennial, which she was nominated to direct and then subsequently rejected by the Biennial’s organising body, Istanbul Culture and Arts Foundation.
Speaking of her appointment to the Van Abbemuseum, Ayas said: ‘Taking on this legacy of iconoclastic approaches to museology, especially in a city at the heart of the global chip wars, is no small feat. I am committed to continuing a practice of prototyping, one that embodies both the innovative spirit of the city and the museum itself, ensuring the institution remains relevant and forward-thinking. I am deeply aware of the profound impact this institution has had over the past two decades, particularly in shaping conversations around civic-mindedness and accessibility, and I offer my heartfelt thanks not only to my predecessors but also to the many women who have carried its mission forward over the years. I especially want to recognize those who continue to champion its values today, as well as those who have recently embarked on new journeys or transitioned into retirement. It is a true honor to step into this role.’
Ayas will start her new role in September, ahead of the museum’s 90th anniversary in 2026.
