Naomi Beckwith appointed artistic director for Documenta 16 in Kassel

Naomi Beckwith has been appointed to head Documenta 16 in Kassel, Germany, set to launch in 2027. A six-member committee unanimously chose her from a pool of five candidates. Currently, she serves as the deputy director and chief curator at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, a role she has occupied since June 2021. Prior to this, Beckwith was part of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, starting in 2011. She expressed both surprise and happiness at her selection, marking her as the second US curator to lead Documenta, following Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev in 2012. This decision comes after the controversies of Documenta 15 and the resignation of the previous selection committee in November 2023. The new committee features members from diverse international art institutions.