Klaus Biesenbach


Klaus Biesenbach is a German-American curator and museum director. He is the Director of the Neue Nationalgalerie, with Berggruen Museum and Scharf-Gerstenberg Collection, as well as the berlin modern under construction.
Previously, Biesenbach had been serving as the director of The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, from 2018 to 2021. He is also a former Chief Curator at Large at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City and former director of MoMA PS1. He is also the founding director of Kunst-Werke Institute for Contemporary Art in Berlin, and the Berlin Biennale.

Early life and education

Biesenbach was born in July 1966 in Bergisch Gladbach, West Germany and grew up in a rural setting in Kürten. After graduating from high school, he completed a year of alternative civilian service and volunteered at a kibbuz in Israel.
From 1987, Biesenbach began studying medicine in Munich, on a scholarship provided by the German Academic Scholarship Foundation. In the summer of 1989, he visited New York for the first time with the idea that he might transfer schools but instead completed an internship at Paper. He moved to Berlin in 1989.

Career

Kunst-Werke Institute for Contemporary Art

Biesenbach founded Kunst-Werke Institute for Contemporary Art in Berlin in 1991, as well as the Berlin Biennale in 1996, and remains Founding Director of both entities. Under his artistic and executive directorship, KW and the Berlin Biennale were started as self-inventive initiatives and are now federally and state funded institutions.

MoMA, and MOMA PS1

Biesenbach joined MoMA PS1 as a curator in 1996; the museum's director Alanna Heiss had hired him part-time while allowing him to maintain his directorship in Berlin. Working with Heiss, he created the "Warm Up" outdoor summer series of live music and helped found the "Greater New York" exhibition series, which showcases emerging talent in the metropolitan area. After P.S.1 merged with MoMA in 2000, Biesenbach became a liaison between the two.
In 2004, Biesenbach was appointed as a curator in the MoMA's "Department of Film and Media". He was named Chief Curator of MoMA's newly formed Department of Media, in 2006; it was the first new curatorial department since photography, in 1940. By 2009, it was subsequently broadened to the Department of Media and Performance Art to reflect the Museum's increased focus on collecting, preserving, and exhibiting performance art. As Chief Curator of the department, Biesenbach led a range of pioneering initiatives, including the launch of a new performance art exhibition series; an ongoing series of workshops for artists and curators; acquisitions of media and performance art; and the Museum's presentation in 2010 of a major retrospective of the work of Marina Abramović.
In 2012, Biesenbach turned MoMA P.S. 1 into a temporary day shelter for displaced residents after Hurricane Sandy. He drafted an open letter to the then New York City Mayor, Michael R. Bloomberg and fellow New Yorkers that called for help in the Rockaways, where he had purchased a house in early 2012, signed by celebrities including Lady Gaga, Madonna, James Franco, Gwyneth Paltrow and Patti Smith.
In addition to his role at MoMA, Biesenbach served as member of the International Jury at the Venice Biennale and as co-curator of the Berlin Biennale and Shanghai Biennale.

MOCA

In 2018, Biesenbach was appointed director of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.
During his time as director, Biesenbach introduced free admission to the museum with a $10 million gift from Carolyn Clark Powers, founded the first Environmental Council at any American museum and started the Performance Space Wonmi's Warehouse Programs while commissioning Larry Bell's, Bill and Coo and Untitled by Barbara Kruger as public art projects.
As director, Biesenbach diversified the collection and exhibition program by supporting exhibitions with artists like Xu Zhen, Jennifer Packer, Pipilotti Rist, Henry Taylor, Tala Madani, Judy Baca, Annika Yi, Garrett Bradley, Cao Fei, and Simone Forti.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Biesenbach pivoted the museum programs online to virtual MOCA where he conducted twenty-five studio visits with international artists that were distributed on the museum's website, social media, and YouTube. In addition, he fundraised with artists' designed facemasks by Yoko Ono, Catherine Opie, Pipilotti Rist, Mark Grotjahn, Barbara Kruger, Hank Willis Thomas, Virgil Abloh, Alex Israel and sold them internationally in collaboration with the Warhol Foundation, the Qatar Museums and the K11 Hongkong.
As part of a 2021 reorganization, Biesenbach was later named artistic director, with a mandate to focus on setting the artistic vision for the museum, overseeing exhibitions and collections. Shortly after, Johanna Burton was appointed as executive director.

Neue Nationalgalerie

In September 2021, Biesenbach was appointed as new director of both the Neue Nationalgalerie with Berggruen Museum and Scharf-Gerstenberg Collection and the future Museum of the 20th Century.

Climate activism and anti-materialism

Biesenbach is a prominent figure in climate activism within the art world, particularly through his work at major institutions like MOCA in Los Angeles and the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin. Biesenbach co-initiated the Environmental Council at MOCA, marking it as the first sustainability-focused group within a U.S. art museum. His activism is rooted in integrating ecological and social issues into the fabric of museum programming, as seen in projects like the ecological festival EXPO 1 and post-Hurricane Sandy art initiatives. His approach underscores the vital role museums play in addressing pressing global challenges, including the climate crisis, by fostering spaces for public engagement and protest.
Biesenbach's lifestyle reflects his deep-rooted non-materialism and focus on the essentials. He is known for living in minimalist spaces, devoid of excess, where every object serves a purpose or holds personal meaning. His homes, whether in Los Angeles or New York, are curated with a stark simplicity, emphasizing functionality and the presence of art over material accumulation. Biesenbach's approach to living underscores his belief in the value of experiences and intellectual engagement over the pursuit of material possessions, aligning with his broader philosophy of intentional living and his dedication to the arts.

Other activities

Recognition

Biesenbach is the recipient of the following awards and honorary degrees:
In addition, Biesenbach received the International Association of Art Critics award for the exhibitions Marina Abramović: The Artist Is Present, Pipilotti Rist: Pour Your Body Out, and Fassbinder: Berlin Alexanderplatz. He also received AICA awards for co-curating the exhibitions Kenneth Anger, 100 Years, and Roth Time: A Dieter Roth Retrospective and 100 Years at MoMA PS1 and MoMA QNS, as well as Kenneth Anger at MoMA PS1 and 100 Years at MoMA PS1 and MoMA QNS, as well as Kenneth Anger at MoMA PS1.

Personal life

Biesenbach lives in Berlin. He also owns land in Uckermark and Puerto Rico. He has in the past lived with his friend, the artist Andrea Zittel, with whom he shared an apartment at KW in the 1990s and stayed in Joshua Tree in 2020.

Exhibitions

Exhibitions organized and co-organized by Biesenbach at KW Institute for Contemporary Art

Exhibitions organized and co-organized by Biesenbach at MoMA PS1

  • MoMA PS1 opening exhibition co-curated with Alanna Heiss, Michael Tarantino and Kazue Kobata
  • Generation Z, co-organized
  • The Promise of Photography, a selection of the photographic collection of the DZ Bank
  • Children of Berlin
  • Greater New York, ko-organisiert
  • Disasters of War
  • Takashi Murakami: Transformer
  • Special Mission Project ko2: Takashi Murakami
  • Kimsooja
  • Henry Darger, Disasters of War
  • Loop – Alles auf Anfang
  • Single Channel Works from the Collections of Pamela and Richard Kramlich and New Art Trust, organized with Christopher Eamon and Barbara London
  • Mexico City: An Exhibition About the Exchange Rate of Bodies and Values
  • Chris Cunningham
  • First Steps, emerging artists from Japan
  • Taryn Simon: The Innocents
  • Hedi Slimane: Berlin
  • Hard Light, co-organized with Doug Aitken
  • Greater New York, co-organized
  • Johannes Van Der Beek, part of group show "Special Projects"
  • Into Me/Out of Me
  • Abbas Kiarostami: Image Maker
  • Mark Lewis: Northumberland
  • Fassbinder: Berlin Alexanderplatz
  • Kenneth Anger, co-organized with Susanne Pfeffer
  • Michael Joaquin Grey
  • Jonathan Horowitz: And/Or
  • 100 Years
  • Mickalene Thomas: Le Déjeuner Sur L'herbe: Les Trois Femmes Noires
  • Greater New York, co-organized
  • On-Site 3: Mickalene Thomas
  • Feng Mengbo
  • Laurel Nakadate
  • Francis Alÿs
  • Jeremy Shaw: Best Minds
  • Rania Stephan
  • Ryan Trecartin: Any Ever, co-organized
  • Ferhat Özgür: I Can Sing
  • Max Brand: no solid footing – duck fighting a crow
  • Kraftwerk – Retrospective 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
  • Cyprien Gaillard: The Crystal World
  • Jeff Elrod: Nobody Sees Like Us
  • Zero Tolerance
  • Francesco Vezzoli: Teatro Romano
  • Rockaway Projekte with Patti Smith, Janet Cardiff, Adrián Villar Rojas in Rockaway Beach
  • Christoph Schlingensief, co-organized
  • Korakrit Arunanondchai
  • Halil Altindere: Wonderland
  • Björk's Stonemilker by Andrew Thomas Huang
  • Wael Shawky: Cabaret Crusades
  • Katharina Grosse: Rockaway!, painted house on the ocean
  • Cao Fei
  • Vito Acconci: Where We Are Now
  • Stanya Kahn: Stand in the Stream
  • Alvaro Barrington
  • Michael E Smith
  • Land: Zhang Huan and Li Binyuan
  • Reza Abdoh, co-organized
  • Walter Price: New Paintings
  • Elle Pérez: Diabolo
  • Rockaway! Narcissus Garden by Yayoi Kusama

Exhibitions organized and co-organized by Biesenbach at MoMA

Exhibitions organized and co-organized by Biesenbach at Neue Nationalgalerie

Additional solo and group exhibitions organized and co-organized by Biesenbach

Publications

Selected digital content for MOCA

25 Virtual Studio Visits

Season 1

Season 2

Selected publications

2024

  • Klaus Biesenbach and Bettina Funcke, Andy Warhol: Velvet Rage and Beauty. Berlin: Neue Nationalgalerie. Isa Genzken. 75/75, Berlin: Neue Nationalgalerie.
  • Klaus Biesenbach, co-editor, Josephine Baker. Icon in Motion. Berlin: Neue Nationalgalerie.

2021

  • Klaus Biesenbach, co-editor, 30 Years KW Berlin: A History, Berlin: Kunst-Werke.

2019

  • Klaus Biesenbach and Bettina Funcke, MoMA PS1: A History. New York: Museum of Modern Art. ISBN 978-1-63345-069-1

2015

  • Klaus Biesenbach and Christophe Cherix, Yoko Ono: One Woman Show, 1960-1971. New York: Museum of Modern Art. ISBN 9780870709661
  • Klaus Biesenbach et al., Björk: Mid-Career Retrospective With New Commissioned Pieces for MoMA. New York: Museum of Modern Art. ISBN 9780870709609

2014

  • Klaus Biesenbach et al., 14 Rooms. Ostfildern: Hatje Cantz. ISBN 978-3-7757-3915-3

2013

  • Klaus Biesenbach et al., Christoph Schlingensief. London: Koenig Books. ISBN 3863354958

2010

  • Klaus Biesenbach, Neville Wakefield and Cornelia Butler: Greater New York 2010. New York: MoMA PS1, 2010.
  • Klaus Biesenbach, Agustin Perez Rubio, Beatrix Ruf and Ugo Rondinone: The Night of Lead: Ugo Rondinone. Edited by Beatrix Ruf, Osterlilden: Hatje Cantz, 2010.
  • Klaus Biesenbach and Mark Godfrey : A Story of Deception: Francis Alÿs. New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2009.

2009

  • Klaus Biesenbach : The Artist is Present: Marina Abramović. New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2009.
  • Klaus Biesenbach: Henry Darger. München/New York: Prestel, 2009.
  • Klaus Biesenbach, Michael Aupingen, Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, Cornelia H. Butler, Judith B. Hecker and William Kentridge: Five Themes: William Kentridge. Edited by Mark Rosenthal, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 2009.
  • Klaus Biesenbach, Kelly Taylor and Jonathan Horowitz: And/Or. Edited by Lionel Bovier, Zürich: JRP Ringer, 2009.
  • Klaus Biesennbach : Political, Minimal. Nürnberg: Verlag für moderne Kunst, 2009.

2008

  • Klaus Biesenbach, Marina Abramović, Chrissie Iles and Kristine Stiles: Marina Abramović. New York: Phaidon, 2008.
  • Klaus Biesenbach, Daniel Birnbaum, Jenny Dirksen, Philipp Fürnkäs, Kaye Geipel and Ulrike Groos: Julia Stoschek Collection Number One: Destroy, she said. Osterfilden: Hatje Cantz, 2008.

2007

  • Klaus Biesenbach, Peter Eleey, Glenn Lowry and Doug Aitken: Sleepwalkers: Doug Aitken. New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2007.
  • Klaus Biesenbach: Rainer Werner Fassbinder: Berlin Alexanderplatz. Berlin: KW Institute for Contemporary Art, 2007.
  • Klaus Biesenbach, Georges Bataille and Susan Sontag: Into Me / Out of Me. Edited by Klaus Biesenbach, Ostfilden: Hatje Cantz 2007.
  • Klaus Biesenbach: In Bildern denken – Kunst, Medien und Ethik: Ist die Kunst den Medien noch gewachsen?. Regensburg: Lindinger + Schmid Kunstprojekte und Verlag, 2007.

2006

  • Klaus Biesenbach : Timeline: Douglas Gordon. New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2006.

2005

  • Klaus Biesenbach and Alanna Heiss : Close-Ups: Katharina Sieverding. Berlin: KW Institute for Contemporary Art, 2005.
  • Klaus Biesenbach, Alanna Heiss and Anthony Huberman : Animations. New York: P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, 2003.
  • Klaus Biesenbach, Mary Lea Bandy and Laurence Kardish : Motion Pictures: Andy Warhol. Berlin: KW Institute for Contemporary Art, 2005.
  • Klaus Biesenbach : Greater New York 2005. New York: P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center 2005.
  • Klaus Biesenbach and Matthew Monahan: Fragile Kingdom: Lara Schniger. Amsterdam: Artimo, 2005.
  • Klaus Biesenbach, Vanessa Adler, Ellen Blumenstein and Felix Ensslin : Zur Vorstellung des Terror: RAF. Göttingen: Steidl, 2005.

2004

  • Klaus Biesenbach : Disasters of War: Henry Darger. Berlin: KW Institute for Contemporary Art, 2004.
  • Klaus Biesenbach : Die Zehn Gebote. Osterfilden: Hatje Cantz, 2004.

2003

  • Klaus Biesenbach and Alanna Heiss : Video Acts. New York: P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, 2003.
  • Klaus Biesenbach, Alanna Heiss and Anthony Huber : Mexico City. New York: P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, 2003.

2001

  • Klaus Biesenbach : Loop - Alles auf Anfang. New York: Klaus Biesenbach for P.S. 1 / MoMA, 2001.
  • Klaus Biesenbach : KW Magazine #02/01 Special Issue Mediarealities. Berlin: KW Institute for Contemporary Art, 2001.
  • Klaus Biesenbach : KW Magazine #01/01. Berlin: KW Institute for Contemporary Art, 2001.

1997

  • Klaus Biesenbach and Emma Dexter: Chapmanworld. London: ICA London, Berlin: KW Institute for Contemporary Art, 1997.
  • Klaus Biesenbach and Ulrike Grossarth: Reste vom Mehrwert: Ulrike Grossarth. Berlin: KW Institute for Contemporary Art, 1997.

1996

  • Klaus Biesenbach and Nicolas Schafhausen : Nach Weimar. Osterfilden: Hatje Cantz, 1996.

1994

  • Klaus Biesenbach, Christine Hill and Barbara Steiner: Christine Hill. Berlin: Eigen+Art/ KW Institute for Contemporary Art, 1995.
  • Klaus Biesenbach and Harald Fricke : Joseph Kosuth. Berlin Chronicle – A Temporary Media Monument for Walter Benjamin. Berlin: KW Institute for Contemporary Art, 1994.

1992

  • Klaus Biesenbach : Berlin 37 Räume. Berlin: KW Institute for Contemporary Art, 1992.

Selected recent contributions

2018

  • Klaus Biesenbach, "We Had to Create Something New': Klaus Biesenbach on Inventing the Berlin Biennale," ARTNews, 7 June 2018
  • Klaus Biesenbach, "In Puerto Rico, Artists Rebuild and Reach Out," The New York Times, 25 January 2018

2016

  • "Klaus Biesenbach Recalls the Founding of KW in Berlin 25 Years Ago, a Moment of 'Radical Change and Freedom'," ARTNews, 25 Nov. 2016
Klaus Biesenbach has also contributed texts to exhibition catalogs as well as edited volumes, and he has published articles in art journals, including Art & Australia, Artforum International, and Flash Art International. He wrote the monthly column "Erdkunde" for the German art magazine Monopol.