The Aichi Triennale Organizing Committee is pleased to announce the appointment of Shabbir Hussain Mustafa, Chief Curator of Singapore Art Museum, as the Artistic Director of Aichi Triennale 2028.

Shabbir Hussain Mustafa (Photo by Leila Shirazi)

Shabbir Hussain Mustafa was selected for the following reasons:

● Extensive international experience and a distinguished track record as a curator and museum leader, offering strong potential to deliver a triennale of international caliber.

● The ability to bring a fresh international perspective to the triennale, shaped by work across different cultural and institutional contexts, enriching its artistic vision and global relevance.

●  A strong commitment to engaging with local communities and place-based practices, creating opportunities to further enhance and communicate the unique character and appeal of Aichi.

●  An extensive global network across the visual arts, enabling the triennale to strengthen Aichi's international profile and presence.

●  Substantial leadership experience overseeing museum curatorial programs, providing confidence in his ability to direct the triennale with both sound judgment and flexibility.

Shabbir Hussain Mustafa - Profile
[Chief Curator, Singapore Art Museum]

Born in Sri Lanka in 1984, Shabbir Hussain Mustafa is based in Singapore, where he serves as Chief Curator of Singapore Art Museum. He holds a B.Soc.Sci. (Honours) in Political Science and an M.A. in South Asian Studies from the National University of Singapore, where he was also a University Scholar. He began his curatorial career at the National University of Singapore Museum (2007-2013), before serving as Senior Curator at National Gallery Singapore (2013-2023) and Senior Curator and Head of Exhibitions at Guggenheim Abu Dhabi (2023-2025). He has been Chief Curator at Singapore Art Museum since 2025, where he oversees research, exhibitions, acquisitions, and public programmes, and leads the Singapore Biennale office and the Singapore Pavilion at the Venice Biennale.

Mustafa curated the Singapore Pavilion at the 56th Venice Biennale (2015) and co-curated the Dhaka Art Summit (2018) and the forthcoming quadrennial Rubaiya Qatar (2026). He served on the Programmes board of Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin (2017-2022), and was a DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Fellow (2017). He has served on the board of CIMAM, the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art, since 2025.