Anthony Kiendl is an award-winning curator, writer, and leader of institutions with more than 30 years of experience shaping contemporary art and culture. His work explores the sensibilities and cultural significance of time and place, and includes projects that have galvanized a cultural moment. With a passion for language and translation, his curatorial practice emphasizes storytelling and interpretation, creating experiences where art sparks wonder, play, and suggest new ways of being in the world.
Throughout his career, Kiendl has dedicated himself to building artist-centered organizations that serve as community platforms. He has led complex international projects involving multiple stakeholders and partnerships, while cultivating expertise in organizational and fund development, strategic planning, and transformational change.
His senior leadership roles include CEO of the Vancouver Art Gallery; CEO of the MacKenzie Art Gallery (Regina); Executive and Artistic Director of Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art (Winnipeg), where he also founded the Summer Institute; and Director of Visual Arts, Walter Phillips Gallery and the Banff International Curatorial Institute, which included overseeing the Visual Arts residency program at The Banff Centre for the Arts. In these roles, he championed globally recognized programs and helped shape institutions into dynamic spaces for experimentation and exchange.
Kiendl’s curatorial projects include organizing more than 50 solo and group exhibitions, including Lucy Raven: Murderers Bar, Duane Linklater: Kakîke/Forever, Informal Architectures: Space and Contemporary Culture, the 5th Contour Biennale of the Moving Image (Mechelen, Belgium), Nuit Blanche (Toronto), and My Winnipeg at la Maison Rouge (Paris). In recognition of his contributions, he received the prestigious Hnatyshyn Award for curatorial excellence in contemporary art. He has also commissioned landmark public artworks and collaborated with artists to dissolve the boundaries between art and everyday life.
