Azu Nwagbogu Named Artistic Director of Tasweer Photography Biennial 2027 in Doha
Qatar Museums has announced that Azu Nwagbogu will head the fourth Tasweer Photography Biennial, set to take place in Doha in April 2027. Nwagbogu, who established the African Artists' Foundation and the LagosPhoto Festival, emphasizes themes of marginalized histories and decolonial identity. He was the curator at large for photography at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa from 2017 and served as interim director from 2018 to 2019. In 2024, he directed Benin's first pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale. His accolades include the Royal Photographic Society's Curator of the Year Award in 2021 and the Art Basel Medal for 2026. Launched in 2021 under Sheikha Al Mayassa, Tasweer is a platform for lens-based artists, with the 2027 event being the first at the Art Mill Museum.
Key facts
- Azu Nwagbogu is the artistic director of the fourth Tasweer Photography Biennial.
- The biennial opens in Doha in April 2027.
- Qatar Museums made the appointment.
- Nwagbogu founded the African Artists' Foundation in Lagos and established the LagosPhoto Festival in 2010.
- He was curator at large of photography at Zeitz MOCAA from 2017 and interim director and chief curator from 2018 to 2019.
- He led Benin's inaugural pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale in 2024.
- He received the Royal Photographic Society's 2021 Curator of the Year Award and was named a 2026 Art Basel Medalist in the Curator category.
- Tasweer was launched by Qatar Museums in 2021 under Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani; the 2027 edition is the first under the forthcoming Art Mill Museum.
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- Qatar Museums
- Tasweer Photography Biennial
- African Artists' Foundation
- LagosPhoto Festival
- Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa
- Centre for Fine Arts
- Rencontres d'Arles
- Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art
- Venice Biennale
- Royal Photographic Society
- Art Basel
- Art Mill Museum
- ArtAsiaPacific
Locations
- Doha
- Qatar
- Lagos
- Nigeria
- Cape Town
- South Africa
- Brussels
- Belgium
- Arles
- France
- Tamale
- Ghana
- Benin
- Venice
- Italy
- West Asia