Artist Haegue Yang has been appointed chair of the board overseeing KW Institute for Contemporary Art in Berlin, succeeding German artist Katharina Grosse, who served for four years. Yang, who is based between Seoul and Berlin, takes on the role at a time when Berlin has cut its culture budget by €130 million ($154 million), sparking outcry, and as the city grapples with controversies over how institutions handle pro-Palestine artists and artworks. Yang has taught at Berlin's Städelschule since 2017 and won the Museum Ludwig's Wolfgang Hahn Prize in 2018.
The appointment matters because it continues the tradition of placing an artist in the board chairmanship, ensuring that artistic perspectives guide the institution's leadership. Yang's role is particularly significant amid budget cuts and political tensions affecting Berlin's cultural sector, as she brings a clear, business-wise voice from the artistic reality. Her leadership will support KW Institute for Contemporary Art and the Berlin Biennale, reinforcing the institution's role as a driving force in the artistic ecosystem.