Senior Curator

Darwaza ("the door") is a cultural forum based in Hamburg, Germany, dedicated to South Asian art, culture and dialogue. We exist to build a lasting bridge between the artistic communities of India and cultural audiences in Europe — a space where South Asian artistic voices are presented with depth, context and dignity, and where genuine exchange between two worlds can take place.

Our work brings contemporary South Asian art into established European cultural institutions, paired with moderated dialogue that situates the work within its cultural, historical and human context. We are not a commercial gallery and not a passive intermediary: Darwaza is a curatorial bridge that translates — artistically and culturally - between India and the European stage.

As Darwaza grows, we are looking for a Senior Curator based in India to serve as our artistic anchor in India: the person who can carry the heart, mission and vision of Darwaza into living exhibitions. This is a role for someone who understands that an exhibition is not a display of objects, but an argument, a conversation and an act of cultural translation.
Tasks

As Senior Curator, you are the artistic intelligence behind every Darwaza presentation. You identify the artistic positions worth bringing to Europe, you shape them into a coherent curatorial narrative, and you ensure that each exhibition embodies what Darwaza stands for: rigour, sensitivity, and a refusal of cliché.

You will work closely with the founders and with our European institutional partners, while maintaining and deepening Darwaza 's relationships within the Indian art world.
Responsibilities

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Curatorial concept & narrative. Develop the intellectual and artistic framework for each exhibition — the central thesis, the selection of artists and works, and the curatorial argument that holds them together.

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Artist identification & selection. Discover, evaluate and select contemporary artistic positions from across India, balancing established names with emerging voices, and ensuring relevance to both the work itself and the European context it will enter.

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Artist & studio relationships. Build and maintain trusted relationships with artists, studios, collectives and institutions across India; negotiate participation, loans and commissions.

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Exhibition development. Translate the concept into a concrete exhibition: checklist of works, spatial and sequencing logic, interpretive strategy, and the design of accompanying dialogue formats.

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Curatorial texts. Write exhibition texts, wall labels, catalogue essays and interpretive material to a publishable, professional standard, in English (additional languages welcome).

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Coordination across borders. Liaise with Darwaza 's European partners on feasibility, framing and presentation; advise on what is artistically and logistically realistic.

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Loans, provenance & documentation. Oversee condition documentation, provenance clarity, and the curatorial paperwork required for international loans and exhibition.

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Dialogue & programming. Conceive and help moderate the talks, panels and conversations that accompany each exhibition — the "dialogue" at the heart of Darwaza .

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Representation. Represent Darwaza with credibility and discretion within the Indian cultural sector, and help position the forum as a serious, respected partner.

Requirements
Who We Are Looking For

This is a senior role , and we are looking for a curator of genuine standing and experience. We expect a strong field of applicants and will be selective. Candidates who do not yet have a substantial, independent curatorial track record are unlikely to be a fit for this particular position.
Essential qualifications

- A Master's degree in Curatorial Studies, Art History, Fine Art, Museum Studies or a closely related field. A higher degree is an advantage.

- A minimum of 5 years of professional curatorial experience , with a portfolio of independently conceived and delivered