Hans Ulrich Obrist, the prolific Swiss curator and artistic director of Serpentine Galleries, discusses his lifelong passion for books in a new interview timed to the U.S. release of his memoir "Life in Progress." Obrist reveals his daily ritual of buying a book, which has amassed an archive of over 40,000 volumes housed at LUMA Arles, and shares current reading recommendations including Kenneth O. Stanley's "Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned." He also reflects on the serendipitous origins of his Instagram Post-it note project, inspired by philosopher Umberto Eco and artist-poet Etel Adnan.
The interview matters because it offers rare insight into the intellectual and literary influences behind one of the most influential curators in contemporary art. Obrist's approach—blending obsessive reading with collaborative, risk-taking exhibition-making—has shaped the Serpentine's programming and broader curatorial practice. His discussion of serendipity, handwriting, and interdisciplinary inspiration underscores how personal habits and chance encounters drive major art-world projects.