‘It’s a dream vessel for me’: Defne Ayas appointed new director of the Van Abbemuseum

‘It’s a dream vessel for me’: Defne Ayas appointed new director of the Van Abbemuseum

Ayas replaces Charles Esche, who has been in post for two decades, taking the reins ahead of the museum’s 90th anniversary in 2026

Defne Ayas Named Director of Van Abbemuseum

The Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, has announced Defne Ayas as its new director, beginning in September. Ayas, who formerly helmed Rotterdam’s Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art (now Kunstinstituut Melly), is currently curator-at-large at New York’s visual performing arts’ biennial, Performa. She will succeed Charles Esche, who has led the institution for […]

Van Abbemuseum 2025 director

Defne Ayas will be the new director of the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven starting in mid-September. She will succeed Charles Esche, who is leaving the museum after twenty years, which will celebrate its 90th anniversary in 2026. Ayas has known the Van Abbemuseum for some time. In 2011, she worked on the Double Infinity exhibition held in the museum. One of Ayas’ assignments is to strengthen the international reputation of the museum. Ayas – with a…

The Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven has appointed Defne Ayas as its new director. She succeeds Charles Esche, who headed the museum since 2004.

Defne Ayas appointed new director of Van Abbemuseum

Photo: Zeynep Özkanca The Van Abbemuseum has appointed Defne Ayas as its new director. She succeeds Charles Esche, who will step down after two decades in the role. Ayas is a director, curator and editor working at the intersection of culture, technology, spirituality and politics. She has cocurated major biennials including the 11th Baltic Triennale, Vilnius (2012); the 6th Moscow Biennale (2018) and the 13th Gwangju Biennale (2021) and has cur…