Kulapat Yantrasast, the architect behind major museum projects for the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Louvre, has been named artistic director of the 2027 Bukhara Biennial in Uzbekistan. The appointment comes less than a year after the debut edition, which drew an estimated 1.8 million visitors and became a major international art event. Conceived by Gayane Umerova and the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation, the next edition will run from September 3 through November 21, 2027. Yantrasast succeeds Diana Campbell, who curated the inaugural edition titled "Recipes for Broken Hearts."
This appointment matters because it signals the rapid rise of the Bukhara Biennial as a significant platform on the global art calendar, transforming an ancient Silk Road city into a cultural destination. Yantrasast plans to expand the biennial's model by involving ecologists, scientists, and community groups, addressing issues like water shortages and biodiversity. His vision emphasizes local engagement over mere art-world tourism, aiming to create lasting cultural exchange and legacy for Uzbekistan, which has been aggressively expanding its cultural ambitions under Umerova's leadership.