Hans Ulrich Obrist: What business can learn from the art world | Podcast | In Good Company

Redefining curation as junction making

Obrist adopts writer JG Ballard's definition of a curator as a "junction maker" who creates unexpected connections between artworks, disciplines, and people rather than simply organizing objects.

Listening as the foundation

The core practice involves visiting artists' studios to listen for unrealized dreams and unfulfilled potential, then shifting institutional frameworks to enable those visions rather than squeezing artists into pre-existing structures.

Enabling versus directing

For solo exhibitions, the curator enables artists to build worlds and take over spaces, while group shows require collaboratively defining "rules of the game" that allow diverse contributions to interact meaningfully, as seen in the upcoming Vatican pavilion project inspired by Hildegard of Bingen.

Embracing the unknown over master plans

Obrist rejects rigid checklists in favor of "going into the unknowable," allowing exhibitions to develop through chain reactions and surprises, exemplified by his "do it" project which has evolved for 33 years through artist-created instructions interpreted globally.

Structures that learn

He advocates creating exhibition vehicles that adapt and evolve over decades rather than short-term deadline-driven work, noting that some projects continuously generate new versions and interpretations long after their initial opening.

Mission-driven serendipity

His Instagram handwriting preservation project emerged unexpectedly from conversations with Umberto Eco and poet Etel Adnan, transforming social media into a platform with purpose rather than personal promotion.

Engaging multiple senses to extend attention

Peter Doig's exhibition transformed galleries into listening spaces combining painting, music, and poetry, encouraging visitors to return weekly and spend hours rather than the typical few seconds with artworks.

Unconventional tech alliances

Partnerships with Fortnite and K-pop group BTS exposed Serpentine to 150 million virtual visitors in two weeks and brought teenagers into physical galleries, creating new generational entry points to contemporary art.

Ethical AI and visible processes

Working with artists like Holly Herndon, Matt Dryhurst, and Refik Anadol, Obrist showcases how AI can make invisible coordination technologies visible while demonstrating ethically sourced data practices through collaborations with institutions like the Smithsonian and National Geographic.