With greater strides being mandated in inclusivity and accessibility requirements in institutional stakeholdership, we need to understand how to hold ourselves accountable for building robust, consistent and inclusive public programming. To understand best practices that ensure this process is in place and continues, Rein Wolfs (Director, Stedelijk Museum, Netherlands), Chris Saines CNZM (Director, QAGOMA, Australia), Dr. Andrea Lissoni (Artistic Director, Haus der Kunst, Germany), Roobina Karode (Director & Chief Curator, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), India), Smriti Rajgarhia (Director, Serendipity Arts Foundation, India), chat with moderator Deepthi Sasidharan (Co-Founder and Director, Eka Archiving, India).
*Andrea Lissoni’s participation is generously supported by Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan, New Delhi
*Rein Wolfs’ participation is generously supported by the Embassy of the Netherlands, New Delhi *Chris Saines’ participation is generously supported by the Australian High Commission in India
Generously supported by JSW, the IAF 2025 Talks Series, Growing Focus, curated by independent researcher and curator Shaleen Wadhwana, examines the increasing prominence of South Asia within contemporary art, design and culture. The series highlights the efforts of People of the Global Majority — comprising more than 80 per cent of the world’s population, with roots in Indigenous, African, Asian and Latin American cultures — who are asserting their presence across arts and cultural ecosystems. Amid the ongoing decentering of dominant ‘Global North’ narratives, it frames this moment not merely as a response to decolonisation but as landmark, historic self-determination. We explore this impact for audiences today and every day.
Rein Wolfs: Rein Wolfs, Director of the Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn since 2013, previously led the Kunsthalle Fridericianum and Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. He curated the 2003 Dutch pavilion at the Venice Biennale and has organized significant exhibitions, including retrospectives on Malevich, Lagerfeld, and Pina Bausch, alongside contemporary art presentations.
Chris Saines CNZM: Chris Saines CNZM is Director of the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) in Brisbane, Australia. A champion of contemporary art and cultural exchange, Saines has overseen landmark exhibitions at leading Australian and New Zealand galleries for more than 40 years. He has successfully positioned QAGOMA as a vital cultural institution in the Asia Pacific region through a commitment to community engagement and an enduring dedication to the arts.
Dr. Andrea Lissoni: Dr. Andrea Lissoni is the Artistic Director of Haus der Kunst in Munich, where he oversees exhibitions that bridge historical and contemporary art. Formerly Senior Curator of International Art (Film) at Tate Modern, London, and Curator at HangarBicocca, Milan, Lissoni is celebrated for his cross-disciplinary vision. His work amplifies emerging voices, fosters innovation, and challenges conventional boundaries in art.
Roobina Karode: Roobina Karode is an art educator, writer, and curator with post-graduate specializations in Art History and Education. She has taught at institutions like Jawaharlal Nehru University and curated prominent exhibitions, including the First Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale (1997). She is currently the Director and Chief Curator of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art.
Smriti Rajgarhia: Smriti Rajgarhia, an architect and design expert, is the Director of Serendipity Arts Foundation and Festival. With fourteen years in arts, she pioneered museum archiving in New Delhi, championing art education and public engagement. Her work spans exhibition curation, furniture design, and urban art interventions, aiming to broaden artistic representation and audience diversity in India through innovative cultural programming.
Deepthi Sasidharan: Deepthi Sasidharan is an art historian, curator and Founder Director at Eka Archiving, a cultural advisory and works on heritage and museum projects across India with the government, private and corporate clients. Deepthi has led Eka projects, that have been path-breaking in India, including setting up museums, seminal exhibitions and the creation of corporate and personal archives.
