The Facts
Kunsthaus Zürich has appointed Hendrik Folkerts as Chief Curator of Programme and Maja Wismer as Head of Collection and Research, the museum announced on August 29, 2025. They join director Ann Demeester in a new leadership configuration aimed at advancing the institution's curatorial vision. Folkerts comes from senior curatorial roles at Moderna Museet in Stockholm, the Art Institute of Chicago, and documenta 14, with a focus on performance, feminist and queer perspectives. Wismer most recently led the Department of Art after 1960 and Contemporary Art at Kunstmuseum Basel from 2020 to 2025. Folkerts will assume his role on February 1, 2026.
The Signal
The appointments signal a strategic shift for one of Switzerland's leading museums toward a transhistorical, globally engaged programme. Both curators share a commitment to bridging classical and contemporary art, with Folkerts known for commissioning and performance-based exhibitions. For artists and collectors, this move suggests the museum will continue expanding its contemporary holdings and presenting critically engaged, research-driven shows that connect art history to current social questions.
- People: Hendrik Folkerts, Maja Wismer, Ann Demeester
- Museums: Kunsthaus Zürich
- Locations: Zürich
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