Alexie Glass-Kantor, formerly Executive Director of Artspace, Sydney, will take on the newly created role of Executive Director, Curatorial, leading Art Dubai Group’s artistic vision and strategy across all its arts platforms and Dunja Gottweis, former Global Head of Gallery Relations at Art Basel, will become the Director of Art Dubai Fair. They will join Benedetta Ghione and Pablo del Val in leading the company and its expanding programme of over thirty initiatives.
In a newly created role as Executive Director, Curatorial, Alexie Glass-Kantor’s focus will be on growing partnerships and institution building, working closely with Art Dubai’s existing leadership team and in collaboration with the Dubai government to support local artistic programming and global exchanges. With responsibility for leading on pioneering initiatives, including year-round commissioning and professional development programmes, Alexie will further strengthen Art Dubai Group’s international collaborations, championing the Gulf region’s dynamic art landscape on the world stage and working in close dialogue with other cultural institutions and events in the region. Alexie brings extensive senior experience to the role, having served as Executive Director of Artspace (2013–2024), where she led a transformative multi-million-dollar redevelopment, creating a state-of-the-art facility and establishing the Sydney-based institution as a global hub for residencies and international collaborations. Her curatorial achievements include Marco Fusinato’s DESASTRES for the Australian Pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale (2022), Curator for Encounters at Art Basel Hong Kong (2015–2025), and major exhibitions such as co-curator of Parallel Collisions: 12th Adelaide Biennial of Contemporary Art for the Art Gallery of South Australia (2012) and 경로를 재탐색합니다 UN/LEARNING AUSTRALIA at Seoul Museum of Art (2021). Alexie will take up her new role in April 2025.
Dunja Gottweis will become Fair Director for Art Dubai which, since its founding in 2007, remains the Gulf’s most significant international art gathering and a place of discovery for art from new geographies. Dunja brings two decades of experience, having lived in Europe, Asia and the US and having worked extensively within the international art world. In 2005 Dunja joined MAK, the Austrian Museum of Applied Arts, in Vienna, executing regional and international projects and exhibitions to further strengthen the museum’s positioning as a pioneering space for art, design and architecture. Starting at Art Basel 12 years ago, Dunja worked her way up to become the Global Head of Gallery Relations and joined the Management Board of Art Basel in 2022. She has been responsible for overseeing engagement with galleries at Art Basel’s four fairs worldwide, enhancing existing relationships and fostering new ones along with diversifying the profile of the fairs and she played an integral role in the launch of Art Basel Hong Kong and Art Basel Paris. With the support of the existing Art Dubai team, Dunja’s global experience, management skills, gallery and art world relations will bring fresh impetus and renewed vigour in leading the Art Dubai Fair into its third decade.
Both new positions will be based in Dubai, working alongside the exceptional existing senior team: Benedetta Ghione, Executive Director, who will focus on driving new business and corporate partnerships, and Art Dubai’s Artistic Director Pablo del Val, who will move to focus on creating international opportunities for the company. Benedetta and Pablo will deliver the 2025 edition of Art Dubai Fair (taking place from 18-20 April at Madinat Jumeirah), in advance of Dunja taking over the running of Art Dubai from its 2026 edition.
Ben Floyd, Co- Founder and CEO of the Art Dubai Group, says of the appointments: ” As we look to grow our mandate and as the cultural scene in this region continues to mature, these two new positions are a game-changer for the company. Dunja’s deep understanding and experience of working in the global art world and her focus on leading and developing the fair, will truly enhance our flagship annual art event. Alexie brings an exceptional range of world class curatorial expertise, leadership experience and a visionary approach to this new role of Executive Director, Curatorial. I am confident their respective skills and experience will complement Benedetta and Pablo’s, and that together they can continue to build on the growth that has marked our last decade and expand Art Dubai Group’s impact in the contemporary art world.”
About Art Dubai Group
Art Dubai Group is a public-private partnership with Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) founded in 2007, and has grown to become the most experienced cultural programming company in the Gulf. Comprising more than 30 initiatives, including the region’s leading art and design fairs and festivals, it is a provider of industry expertise to the business and government sectors, alongside year-round commissioning and professional development programmes.
Working closely with government and business, Art Dubai Group develops and delivers ambitious strategic projects to support the long-term growth of the UAE’s cultural sector. Operating for over 20 years, their programmes include partnerships with Dubai Culture on initiatives such as Dubai Collection – the first institutional art collection for the city of Dubai, and Dubai Public Art – a multi-year, city-wide public realm commissioning programme for Emirati and UAE-based artists. They also include the most extensive cultural education programmes in UAE schools, developed in partnership with A.R.M. Holding, and Campus Art Dubai, which supports the next generation of cultural leaders through professional development, training and mentoring. Art Dubai Fair is one of the cornerstone programmes that comes under the Art Dubai Group.
The group’s flagship initiatives include Art Dubai – the most significant global art gathering in the Middle East; Downtown Design – the region’s leading design fair with a focus on high quality and original design; Dubai Design Week – the region’s largest design festival; Prototypes for Humanity, the world’s largest and most diverse assembly of academics addressing social and environmental challenges; and Editions – the Middle East’s first limited edition art and design fair.
For more information, please visit https://www.artdubai.ae/about-art-dubai-group/.
About Art Dubai Fair
Founded in 2007, Art Dubai is the most significant global art gathering in the Gulf. A catalyst for the rapid growth of the region’s art scene and creative economy, it provides an important gateway for discovery, learning and exchange, championing galleries and artists from less-represented geographies.
Each year Art Dubai spotlights around 120 contemporary, modern and digital galleries from over 40 countries. The gallery programme is accompanied by artist commissions, an ambitious education programme and the most extensive talks and conference programming of any international art fair, including the Global Art Forum and an annual Digital Summit.
Alexie Glass-Kantor
Alexie Glass-Kantor is a curator and arts advocate. She has curated across independent spaces, museums, biennials, and festivals since 2000.
As Executive Director of Artspace, Sydney (2013–2024), she oversaw a $19.8 million (Australian) redevelopment that transformed the institution into a state-of-the-art hub for residencies, exhibitions, research, public art, and international collaborations. Her tenure included partnerships with Palais de Tokyo (France), Dhaka Art Summit (Bangladesh), and Seoul Museum of Art (South Korea).
Alexie curated Marco Fusinato’s DESASTRES for the Australian Pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale (2022), a critically acclaimed durational performance work. From 2015 to 2025, she has curated Encounters, the large-scale installation sector at Art Basel Hong Kong, commissioning landmark projects by international artists such as Awol Erizku and Daniel Boyd. Major exhibitions include co-curating Parallel Collisions: 12th Adelaide Biennial of Contemporary Art (2012) and 경로를 재탐색합니다 UN/LEARNING AUSTRALIA at Seoul Museum of Art (2021).
She has collaborated on co-commissions with Performa (New York), Institute of Contemporary Art (London), Ocean Space and TBA-21 (Venice), and Art Sonje (Seoul), among others, while conceiving the ground breaking Instagram commissioning project 52 ARTISTS 52 ACTIONS (2017 and 2020), later published by Thames & Hudson.
Alexie serves on boards including the Advisory Council, MCAD Manila, and the Barbican Podium Curatorial Committee. She is a graduate of the University of New South Wales, holding a Bachelor of Art History & Theory (Honours).
Dunja Gottweis
Dunja studied International Business Administration at the University of Vienna and at Università Ca Foscari in Venice and entered the art world in 2005 at MAK (Austrian Museum of Applied Arts) in Vienna where she worked closely with the Director of the museum executing both regional and international projects and exhibitions, further strengthening the museum’s positioning as a space for art, design and architecture. She joined Art Basel in 2012 and has since worked in Basel and Hong Kong before relocating to New York in 2018.
Dunja Gottweis was originally appointed as Regional Head of Gallery Relations for the Americas for Art Basel. She was instrumental in serving the gallery community for Art Basel’s fair in Miami Beach, strengthening key relationships with galleries across the Americas and beyond. During her tenure Art Basel has launched fairs in Hong Kong and Paris and Dunja has taken a lead role in developing global initiatives. She has fostered connections with galleries and collectors in Europe, Asia and the US, always putting galleries and their artists at the centre of every decision.
In 2024 she was promoted to the new role Global Head of Gallery Relations, joined the Management Board of Art Basel and has been responsible for managing engagement with all galleries participating in Art Basel’s four fairs worldwide.
For more information, please visit https://www.artdubai.ae/about-art-dubai/.
