Duygu Demir Appointed Curator at NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery
New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) is delighted to announce the appointment of Duygu Demir as the Curator of the university’s Art Gallery and Research Assistant Professor of Art History. This appointment aligns with the gallery’s mission within a research-oriented university setting and coincides with the gallery’s forthcoming tenth-anniversary celebration in 2024.
A Leader in Art and Academia
Duygu Demir, an accomplished art historian and curator originally from Turkey, brings a wealth of experience to her new role. Prior to joining NYUAD, she was an Assistant Professor of Art History at Sabancı University. Demir holds a Ph.D. from MIT, supported by both MIT and Harvard University.
NYUAD’s Commitment to Art and Culture
NYUAD’s Art Gallery has played a pivotal role in fostering creative exploration and intellectual discourse in the UAE’s arts ecosystem since its establishment in 2014. Maya Allison, the Executive Director and Chief Curator, highlights the university’s role in nurturing artists and their practices in the region. Demir’s appointment signifies the gallery’s commitment to advancing exhibition-making as a mode of investigation and supporting the development of new areas of art history.
Bridging Cultures and Disciplines
Demir’s academic research focuses on non-Western modernisms, exhibition histories, transnational artistic encounters, and the intersection of art and architecture. In addition to her role as a curator, she will serve as a Research Assistant Professor within the University’s Arts and Humanities division, further enriching the academic environment at NYUAD.
A New Series of Dialogues
Demir has wasted no time in initiating exciting new projects, including “Curators Talk,” a series of public discussions where curators will share their unique approaches to curatorial practice. This initiative aims to provide a platform for dialogue, reflection, and exploration for art enthusiasts and professionals alike.
A Proven Track Record
Before joining NYUAD, Demir was a founding member of SALT, a research-based cultural institution in Istanbul. Her impressive career includes co-curating critically acclaimed exhibitions, editing monographic publications, and contributing to academic journals and exhibition catalogs.
A Hub for Art and Culture
The NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery’s program encompasses historical and contemporary exhibitions from around the world, as well as modern and contemporary art from the region. The gallery also produces books regularly as part of its commitment to university research, including an oral history of the UAE’s avant-garde.
Supporting Emerging Artists
The gallery has a longstanding collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) on the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award, providing a platform for emerging artists in the UAE. This award encourages new artwork and offers insights into the professional life of an artist, from commission to exhibition.
About The NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery
Established in 2014, The NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Art Gallery is the Gulf’s pioneering university gallery, known for its scholarly and experimental museum exhibitions. It serves as a vibrant hub for dialogue and innovation in the Gulf’s art community, fostering discussions around exhibition practices. The gallery regularly presents exhibitions by internationally acclaimed artists, curators, and scholars, and its book publication program is integral to its academic mission. The Project Space, an auxiliary venue, serves as an exhibition laboratory for UAE-based artists and curators.
About NYU Abu Dhabi
NYU Abu Dhabi is the first comprehensive liberal arts and research campus in the Middle East operated by a major American research university. It offers a highly selective program with majors spanning sciences, engineering, social sciences, arts, and humanities. NYUAD’s diverse student body, hailing from over 125 countries, speaks over 100 languages. With campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai, NYU forms a unique global university network, providing students and faculty with opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immerse themselves in different cultures across six continents.
