Book Description

Essays and portraits on the career and influence of curator Hans Ulrich Obrist. Hans Ulrich Obrist is the Kim Kardashian of the art world. That sounds absurd to those of you who know him. But there are many who know just his name or just his initials, HUO. This book is here to tell you more. What does it mean to be HUO? What does it mean to be a curator? Is there anything less interesting to me (or you?) than selecting artists for exhibitions? In an era of, let's call it, “boutique” art shows, the issue seems about as relevant as Diet Coke (and the Kardashians). But if anything, Hans is the Real Thing. Hans is Coca-Cola. In this book you'll find personal, anecdotal remarks on HUO's character, republished texts, and portraits (by artists including Alex Katz) that give context to the questions that frame the book: “Who is HUO?” and “What does HUO do?” More so, “What has he done?” If the art world were to seek out a supreme leader who was benevolent, kind, and fair, HUO would be it. Contributors Etel Adnan, Manthia Diawara Sophia Al-Maria, Etel Adnan, Ed Atkins, Alan Pauls, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, D. T. Max, Jacques Herzog, Joseph Grigely, Yoko Ono, Ho Rui An, Michael Diers, Douglas Coupland, Bruce Altshuler, Agnès Varda, Andrew Durbin, Sophie Collins, Daniel Birnbaum, Boris Groys, Bruno Latour, Adam Thirlwell, Wong Hoy Cheong, Raqs Media Collective, Michael Bracewell, and Stefano Boeri. Portraits of HUO by Alex Katz, Jimmie Durham, Adrián Villar Rojas, Pascale Marthine Tayou, Cui Jie, Gerhard Richter, Giorgio Griffa, Sophia Al-Maria, Jamian Juliano Villani, Torbjørn Rødland, Simone Fattal, and Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian