Naomi Beckwith to Lead Next Edition of Embattled Documenta
The Guggenheim Museum deputy director and chief curator will helm the 2027 contemporary art show amid ongoing controversy.
by Rhea Nayyar 
Subscribe to our newsletter
Or Sign in to an existing accountPrivacy Policy
Success! Your account was created and you’re signed in.
Please visit My Account to verify and manage your account.
An account was already registered with this email. Please check your inbox for an authentication link.
Early into the show’s run, a display featuring works by Palestinian artists was vandalized, prompting over 100 affiliates of the exhibition to issue a collective statement condemning the incident as a racist attack.
Last year, in the wake of October 7, Documenta’s administration lambasted ruangrupa after two members of the collective “liked” pro-Palestine posts on Instagram. Documenta’s response concerned artists and other members of the cultural community who have observed Germany’s worsening surveillance and suppression of speech critical of Israel.
Get the latest art news, reviews and opinions from Hyperallergic.
Beckwith was selected by Documenta 16’s second finding committee, assembled this summer after the initial finding committee withdrew en masse in November 2023 following the resignation of Mumbai-based curator and writer Ranjit Hoskoté. Hoskoté was also accused of antisemitism amid the resurfacing of his signature on a petition likening Zionism to Hindutva (Hindu nationalism) in 2019.
Acknowledging the controversies in the lead-up to her appointment, Beckwith told the New York Timesthat her curatorial method will be different from the previous curators’ approach. “Every exhibition is a deep collaborative practice for me with artists,” she told the paper. “So there are no surprises.”
Hailing from Chicago, Beckwith holds a graduate degree from the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, and went on to become a Critical Studies Fellow through the Whitney Museum of American Art’s independent study program before joining the Studio Museum in Harlem as an associate curator. After working closely with Thelma Golden for years, Beckwith returned to Chicago in 2011 as the associate curator at the city’s Museum of Contemporary Art, and was promoted to senior curator in 2018, having co-curated the first major survey for Howardena Pindell at the museum. She joined the Guggenheim in 2021.
We hope you enjoyed this article! Before you keep reading, please consider supporting Hyperallergic’s journalism during a time when independent, critical reporting is increasingly scarce.
Unlike many in the art world, we are not beholden to large corporations or billionaires. Our journalism is funded by readers like you, ensuring integrity and independence in our coverage. We strive to offer trustworthy perspectives on everything from art history to contemporary art. We spotlight artist-led social movements, uncover overlooked stories, and challenge established norms to make art more inclusive and accessible. With your support, we can continue to provide global coverage without the elitism often found in art journalism.
If you can, please join us as a member today.Millions rely on Hyperallergicfor free, reliable information. By becoming a member, you help keep our journalism free, independent, and accessible to all. Thank you for reading.
Become a member