Tai Kwun Appoints Philip Tinari as Deputy Director and Head of Art

Tai Kwun announces the appointment of Philip Tinari as Deputy Director and Head of Art of Tai Kwun Culture & Arts Company Limited (“Tai Kwun Arts”), with effect from 23 February 2026.

An internationally acclaimed leader known for building one of the most influential contemporary art institutions of China, Mr. Tinari brings more than a decade of visionary leadership to Tai Kwun.

In his capacity as Deputy Director and Head of Art, Philip Tinari will both oversee programming at Tai Kwun Contemporary, and play a decisive role in shaping Tai Kwun’s larger, long-term artistic vision. Working in tandem with Mr. Timothy Calnin, Director of Tai Kwun Arts, Tinari will drive integration and dialogue across all artistic disciplines at Tai Kwun, including heritage, contemporary art and performing arts, charting new pathways to activate the site’s unique history and position at the heart of Hong Kong.

Commenting on his appointment, Philip Tinari said:

“I have been following Tai Kwun’s growth over these years and am truly excited to be part of its next chapter. I look forward to steering Tai Kwun Contemporary’s programming, to driving greater engagement with existing and new audiences, to deepening and expanding its impact with diverse communities and stakeholders, and to raising its profile to the international art community.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Philip to Tai Kwun,” said Timothy Calnin. “Philip’s impressive record in establishing a dynamic and relevant contemporary art institution in Beijing which is revered both in China and around the world, will be a tremendous asset as Tai Kwun looks beyond the approaching 10th anniversary in 2028 to ensure a brilliant future. Philip played an early part in establishing Tai Kwun’s contemporary art credentials having co-curated with us a major exhibition in Tai Kwun’s very first season in 2018. His extensive curatorial experience in China, entrepreneurial flair and demonstrated industry leadership, will bring refreshed perspectives and insights to resonate with a growing community of art and culture enthusiasts in Hong Kong and around the world. I can’t wait to start working with Philip on amplifying Tai Kwun’s distinctive role as a cultural anchor of the region.”

Ms Chin Chin Teoh, Director of The Jockey Club CPS Limited said, “Philip’s appointment is an exciting moment for Tai Kwun and for Hong Kong. His global outlook and ability to build cultural connections will bring fresh energy and support our long-term development. We’re confident that his leadership will enhance the experiences we offer and reinforce Tai Kwun’s role as a vibrant cultural destination for visitors from Hong Kong and beyond.”

About Philip Tinari

Philip Tinari is an internationally acclaimed curator and cultural leader known for shaping contemporary art discourse across China and on the global stage. Over more than a decade, he has built an extraordinary portfolio spanning museum leadership, major international exhibitions, biennales, and cross-cultural collaborations.

Before joining Tai Kwun, Tinari served for fourteen years as Director and Chief Executive of UCCA Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA), where he led its transformation from a founder-owned establishment into China’s premier institution of modern and contemporary art. During his tenure, which began in 2011, he oversaw the museum’s expansion from a single venue into a constellation of architecturally and programmatically distinct museums, including the flagship UCCA Beijing, UCCA Dune, UCCA Edge and UCCA Clay.

Renowned for positioning art as a bridge between China and the wider world, at UCCA Tinari has engineered some of the region’s most significant exhibitions. He is credited with delivering unprecedented, blockbuster surveys of historical icons such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Andy Warhol to Chinese audiences, alongside major shows of leading contemporary figures including Cao Fei, Maurizio Cattelan, William Kentridge, Xu Bing, Yang Fudong, and Anicka Yi.

Beyond UCCA, his curatorial footprint is global; he co-curated the landmark exhibition Art and China after 1989: Theater of the World at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York and organized Feeling the Stones, the inaugural edition of the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale in Riyadh.

A graduate of Harvard and Duke and a Fulbright scholar, he is widely recognised for his visionary approach, rigorous scholarship, and ability to contextualize contemporary culture within broader historical and social frameworks. His reputation for innovation, thought leadership, and cultural bridge-building has made him one of the most influential voices in the field today.