Philippe Van Cauteren

Philippe Van Cauteren (born 1970) is a Belgian curator, writer, and the long-standing artistic director of the Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst (S.M.A.K.) in Ghent. He is recognized for advancing contemporary art’s social relevance through exhibitions, writing, and public dialogue.

Key facts

Born: 1970, Belgium
Position: Artistic Director, S.M.A.K. Ghent (since 2004)
Known for: Curatorial vision linking art and civic engagement
Major publication: Brieven aan kunstenaars (2017)
Curated abroad: Iraq Pavilion, Venice Biennale (2015)

Career and curatorial vision

Van Cauteren studied art history and emerged in the 1990s as a critic and curator bridging poetry and visual culture. At S.M.A.K., he succeeded Jan Hoet in 2004, steering the museum toward an international contemporary profile while maintaining strong ties with the Flemish art scene. His curatorial practice emphasizes empathy, artistic risk, and the museum as a forum for dialogue rather than spectacle.

Publications and thought

His book Brieven aan kunstenaars (“Letters to Artists”) gathers more than a hundred open letters to artists including Michaël Borremans, Berlinde De Bruyckere, and Mark Manders. The letters, poetic yet direct, explore the curator’s intimate engagement with artists and his vision for “the museum of the future,” rooted in openness and collaboration.

Leadership and controversies

Van Cauteren has faced organizational scrutiny; in 2024 and 2025 staff complaints alleged “toxic leadership.” Independent reviews by the City of Ghent confirmed no criminal wrongdoing but required a leadership-development trajectory and structural reforms at S.M.A.K. He retained the directorship amid broader reforms uniting Ghent’s museums into a single cultural entity.

Public stance and influence

Beyond museum walls, Van Cauteren is a frequent essayist and speaker advocating art as a catalyst for social imagination. He has curated projects in challenging contexts—such as Traces for Survival in Iraq with Ai Weiwei—and champions art’s role as “medicine” in times of political and cultural tension

Prospects