I am a curator, writer, and teacher in visual art, its institutions, and spatial practices. I have deep experience and knowledge in establishing mission-driven institutions, crafting long-term strategies, design and build processes, and assembling interdisciplinary teams. I was the founding director of Research & Programs of SALT, an interdisciplinary cultural institution based in Turkey. A recipient of the Award for Curatorial Excellence from Bard College, I was the founding director of the Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Center, Istanbul, Proje4L, İstanbul Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Museum of the Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College. I am a curatorial and research consultant for Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, Qatar.

I have co-curated the Taipei Biennale (2008) with ManRay Hsu, the 9th International Istanbul Biennial (2005) with Charles Esche, and was one of the co-curators of the 24th São Paulo Biennial (1998). I was the director and chief curator of the 3rd International Istanbul Biennial (1992). I also curated the UAE Pavilion for the Venice Biennale (2011), the Turkish Pavilion for the São Paulo Biennale (1994 and 1998), and the Venice Biennale in (2007).

I have served on many juries such as the Turner Prize, Velasquez Prize, and Belvedere Award, and on the juries of biennials, such as Venice and Gwangju. I am a board member at the Foundation for Art Initiatives, SALT, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Antwerp. I have written extensively on contemporary art and the cultural situation for publications and periodicals locally and internationally.