Philip Tinari is leaving the Beijing institution he has long called home for a new one in Hong Kong, where he will be deputy director and head of art at Tai Kwun Culture & Arts. He assumes the new post February 23 and will be involved with all artistic disciplines, including heritage, contemporary art, and performing arts. He takes over the head of art role from curator Pi Li, who started in February 2023 leaves in February at the expiration of his contract, as ArtReview reported.
“I have been following Tai Kwun’s growth over these years and am truly excited to be part of its next chapter,” Tinari said in a statement. “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.”
Tinari has for the last 14 years been director and chief executive at UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, which was established in Beijing in 2007 by Guy and Myriam Ullens as the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art. Tinari led its transition to an accredited nonprofit museum in 2018. It also expanded that year with UCCA Dune, a museum buried under a sand dune in Beidaihe, about 200 miles east of Beijing; in 2021 with UCCA Edge in a Shanghai high-rise; and in 2024 with UCCA Clay, in Yixing. He oversaw major exhibitions of Western historical giants like Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Andy Warhol as well as contemporary stars from both the West and Asia, such as Cao Fei, Maurizio Cattelan, William Kentridge, Xu Bing, Yang Fudong, and Anicka Yi.
“We are thrilled to welcome Philip to Tai Kwun,” said Timothy Calnin, director of Tai Kwun Arts. “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.”
With in-house curator Xue Tan, Tinari co-curated “A hollow in a world too full,” a solo exhibition of Cao Fei, at Tai Kwun in its first season, in 2018.
Tai Kwun, in Hong Kong’s Central district, is located in the former Central Police Station, Central Magistracy and Victoria Prison, all historic monuments. It is supported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, a sports and entertainment venue founded in 1884, and the Hong Kong government. It received the Award of Excellence in the 2019 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
ARTnews named its exhibition “Myth Makers—Spectrosynthesis III” as one of the “defining exhibitions” of 2023.
Among its recent exhibitions are “Stay Connected: Navigating the Cloud,” including artists such as Cao Fei, Lawrence Lek, and Samson Young. Currently on view are “Book of Changes: The Art of Basil Pao” and “DigiRadiance | Zhang Peili: A Day.”
“Philip’s appointment is an exciting moment for Tai Kwun and for Hong Kong,” said Chin Chin Teoh, director of the Jockey Club. “His global outlook and ability to build cultural connections will bring fresh energy and support our long-term development.”
