Dr. Tessa Giblin

Biography

Professor Tessa Giblin is the Director of Talbot Rice Gallery and holds a Personal Chair in Contemporary Curating at Edinburgh College of Art. With over 20 years of experience as a curator in New Zealand, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Scotland, Tessa leads the team at Talbot Rice Gallery, curating exhibitions that engage with significant national conversations. Recent exhibitions have included 'Expanding Imaginations – Responsibilities – Geological Time', 'Normal', and 'Borderlines', which reflect on themes such as the impact of the pandemic and societal divisions. Tessa champions complex histories and debates through art, pushing back against polarization. She integrates students from the Edinburgh College of Art into the gallery's activities and regularly teaches workshops addressing specific themes. Some major commissioned solo exhibitions under her direction have featured artists such as El Anatsui and Emeka Ogboh. Previously, Tessa was the Curator of the Visual Arts Project at the Arts Centre Dublin, where she made commissioning new work a hallmark of the program. She has also contributed to significant exhibitions and festivals, including serving as the Commissioner and Curator for Ireland at the 2017 Venice Biennale. Tessa's work engages deeply with contemporary art production and the cultural narratives surrounding it.

Research Interests