Biography

Eungie Joo is curator of contemporary art at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) (2017–present) and was curator of Sharjah Biennial 12: The past, the present, the possible (2015).

At SFMOMA, Joo organised the group exhibition Soft Power (2019–2020), which looked at the role of artists as citizens and social actors. Her curatorial projects include, Artistic Director, 5th Anyang Public Art Project, South Korea (2016); co-curator, The Ungovernables, New Museum, New York (2012); Commissioner of the Korean Pavilion, 53rd Venice Biennale (2009); Advisor, Carnegie International, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh (2008); and Founding Director and Curator, Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater (REDCAT), Los Angeles (2003–2007) ), where she developed residencies and exhibitions by SUPERFLEX, Damián Ortega, Sora Kim, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Kara Walker, among others.

She published the Art Spaces Directory (New Museum and ArtAsiaPacific, 2012) and edited Rethinking Contemporary Art and Multicultural Education (New Museum, 2009).

Previously, she served as Director of Art and Cultural Programs, Instituto Inhotim, Brumadinho, Brazil (2012–2014) and Keith Haring Director and Curator of Education and Public Programs, New Museum, New York (2007–2012), where she spearheaded the Museum as Hub programme and commissioned the monthly seminar Night School by Anton Vidokle (2008–2009).

She received the Walter Hopps Award for Curatorial Achievement, Menil Collection, Houston (2006).

Joo earned a BA in Africana Studies from Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, US (1991) and a PhD in the Department of Ethnic Studies, University of California, Berkeley (2002).

Born in 1969 in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, she currently lives and works in San Francisco.

SAF participation:
March Meeting 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2021