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Renan Laru-an to lead SAVVY Contemporary as artistic director

institutional · 2026-04-24

Renan Laru-an has been appointed artistic director of SAVVY Contemporary, starting January. He succeeds founder Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung, who will lead Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) in Berlin. Laru-an was selected by a panel including artist Oscar Murillo and curators Koyo Kouoh and Nora Sternfeld. The institution praised his 'rawness and vulnerability' and 'poetical practice' addressing urgent issues beyond short-term projects. Laru-an co-founded the Philippine Contemporary Art Network (PCAN), a public institution at the University of the Philippines Vargas Museum. He has curated major events: the 2nd Biennale Matter of Art in Prague (2022), the 6th Singapore Biennale (2019), the 8th OK.Video – Indonesia Media Arts Festival in Jakarta (2017), and the 1st Lucban Assembly in Quezon (2015). His exhibitions include 'Sourcebook: Mandy El-Sayegh and Helena Hunter' at LUX, London (2022); 'But Ears Have No Lids: Maayan Amir and Ruti Sela' at PCAN, Manila (2021); 'Motions of this Kind' at SOAS, London (2019); 'A Tripoli Agreement' at Sharjah Art Foundation, Sharjah (2018); 'The Artist and the Social Dreamer' at Forecast Festival, HKW, Berlin (2017); and 'From Bandung to Berlin: If all of the Moons Aligned' at SAVVY Contemporary, Berlin (2016).

Key facts

  • Renan Laru-an appointed artistic director of SAVVY Contemporary starting January
  • Succeeds founder Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung who moves to HKW
  • Selection panel included Oscar Murillo, Koyo Kouoh, Nora Sternfeld
  • Institution cited Laru-an's 'rawness and vulnerability' and 'poetical practice'
  • Laru-an co-founded Philippine Contemporary Art Network (PCAN)
  • PCAN is a public institution at University of the Philippines Vargas Museum
  • Curated 2nd Biennale Matter of Art, Prague (2022)
  • Curated 6th Singapore Biennale (2019)
  • Curated 8th OK.Video – Indonesia Media Arts Festival, Jakarta (2017)
  • Curated 1st Lucban Assembly, Quezon (2015)
  • Exhibition 'Sourcebook: Mandy El-Sayegh and Helena Hunter' at LUX, London (2022)
  • Exhibition 'But Ears Have No Lids: Maayan Amir and Ruti Sela' at PCAN, Manila (2021)
  • Exhibition 'Motions of this Kind' at SOAS, London (2019)
  • Exhibition 'A Tripoli Agreement' at Sharjah Art Foundation, Sharjah (2018)
  • Exhibition 'The Artist and the Social Dreamer' at Forecast Festival, HKW, Berlin (2017)
  • Exhibition 'From Bandung to Berlin: If all of the Moons Aligned' at SAVVY Contemporary, Berlin (2016)

Entities

Artists

  • Renan Laru-an
  • Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung
  • Oscar Murillo
  • Koyo Kouoh
  • Nora Sternfeld
  • Mandy El-Sayegh
  • Helena Hunter
  • Maayan Amir
  • Ruti Sela

Institutions

  • SAVVY Contemporary
  • Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW)
  • Philippine Contemporary Art Network (PCAN)
  • University of the Philippines Vargas Museum
  • LUX
  • SOAS
  • Sharjah Art Foundation
  • Forecast Festival
  • Biennale Matter of Art
  • Singapore Biennale
  • OK.Video – Indonesia Media Arts Festival
  • Lucban Assembly

Locations

  • Berlin
  • Germany
  • Manila
  • Philippines
  • Prague
  • Czech Republic
  • Singapore
  • Jakarta
  • Indonesia
  • Quezon
  • London
  • United Kingdom
  • Sharjah
  • United Arab Emirates

Sources