Lyon / 2009

Hou Hanru
Biographical Information

Born in 1963 in China, Hou Hanru is a prolific and dynamic critic and curator based in Paris and San Francisco. He is Director of Exhibitions and Public Programs and also Chair of Exhibition and Museum Studies at the San Francisco Art Institute.

Hou Hanru received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, where he was trained in art history. He has been a consultant for several cultural institutions internationally including the Solomon Guggenheim Museum, New York; the Deutsche Bank Collection, Frankfurt; the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; and the Contemporary Art Museum in Kumamoto, Japan. He has taught and lectured at numerous institutions including the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam and the Hoger Instituut voor Schone Kunsten in Ghent.

Hou Hanru is a correspondent for Flash Art International and a regular contributor to several other contemporary-art journals including ART iT, artasiapacific and Yishu. He has curated many exhibitions including: the exhibition programme at the Walter and Mc-Bean Galleries, San Francisco Art Institute, since 2006, featuring artists such as Sarkis, Allora & Calzadilla, Jens Haaning, Adel Abdessemed, Teddy Cruz & Pedro Reyes and Yan Pei Ming, as well as group shows including "World Factory" and "Wherever We Go"; "Too Early for Vacation", EV + A 2008, Limerick, Ireland, 2008; "Trans(cient) City" and "Global Multitude", Luxembourg, 2007; "Not Only Possible, But Also Necessary - Optimism in The Age of Global Wars", 10th Istanbul Biennale, 2007; "Everyday Miracle, four woman artists in the Chinese Pavilion (Shen Yuan, Yin Xiuzhen, Kan Xuan, Cao Fei)", 52nd Venice Biennale, 2007; "Laboratoire pour un Avenir Incertain (Laboratory for an Uncertain Future)", Grand Palais, Paris, France, 2006; "Go Inside", 3rd Tirana Biennale, 2005; The Second Guangzhou Triennial: "Beyond - An Extraordinary Space of Experimentation for Modernization", 2004 - 2006 ; Nuit Blanche, Paris, 2004; "Z.O.U, Zone of Urgency", Venice Biennale, 2003 ; Gwangju Biennale, 2002; and "Shanghai Spirit", Shanghai Biennale, 2000.

Hou Hanru in Universes in Universe:

10th Istanbul Biennial, 2007
Not Only Possible, But Also Necessary: Optimism in the Age of Global War. Curator: Hou Hanru. Information and extensive photo tour through the Biennale, including works by 40 participants, venues, parallel projects, etc.

Chinese Pavilion, 52nd Venice Biennale, 2007
Curated by Hou Hanru. Theme: Everyday Miracles. Site specific works by four female artists.

Z.O.U. - Zone of Urgency, 2003
Curated by Hou Hanru. One of the 10 exhibitions that formed part of the central exhibition of the 50th Venice Biennale 2003 (artistic direction: Francesco Bonami). Examples of works, curatorial text, list of artists.

Living in Time, 2001
29 Contemporary Artists from China. 19 Sept. - 18 Nov. 2001, Hamburger Bahnhof, Museum für Gegenwart - Berlin. Curators: Hou Hanru, Fan Di'an, Gabriele Knapstein. Information, photo tour, interview with Hou Hanru.

2nd Johannesburg Biennale, 1997
Hou Hanru curated the exhibition "Hong Kong, etc.". Interviews with Hou Hanru and Okwui Enwezor, artistic director of the Biennale.

© Biography, photo: Press information of the Biennale de Lyon

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