Inside the Dynamic World of Cecilia Alemani: Curating Art Across Cities

Since 2011, Cecilia Alemani has been at the helm of High Line Art as its director and chief curator, guiding the elevated park's public art program by commissioning innovative works and performances that engage the community along its 1.45-mile stretch.

Alemani's curatorial work extends well beyond the High Line. She recently curated the exhibition “Willem de Kooning: Endless Painting” at Gagosian’s West 24th Street gallery, which remains on view through mid-June. Her international leadership includes serving as artistic director for the 59th Venice Biennale in 2022, preparing the upcoming Site Santa Fe International, and developing a new project for a Paris art institution scheduled to open in fall 2026.

At 48, Alemani resides in New York’s East Village with her husband, artistic director Massimiliano Gioni, and their nine-year-old son, Giacomo. The following account is drawn from a series of phone interviews conducted over a week in late April, tracing her activities from Manhattan to Chicago and back.

On a typical day, after dropping off her son at school, Alemani heads to the gym before spending the morning working from home. Later in the afternoon, she visits several galleries in the Lower East Side, including Participant Inc, Magenta Plains, and Bridget Donahue. The day often concludes at Perrotin gallery, where she recently viewed an exhibition by Colombian artist Iván Argote, known for his public art interventions. Argote’s prominent High Line installation, a massive pigeon sculpture titled “Dinosaur,” is part of this show that features his guerrilla-style public projects, including videos of him repairing sidewalks and adorning existing statues.

Alemani then travels to Chicago to participate in Expo Chicago, where she was invited to deliver a keynote talk. Taking advantage of her visit, she explores numerous exhibitions within a limited timeframe.

Her itinerary in Chicago includes the Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago, showcasing works by Wakaliga Uganda, a collective known for producing low-budget action films with budgets as modest as $200. She also visits the Neubauer Collegium, which is presenting an exhibition by Betye Saar featuring drawings, archival materials, and costumes from the 1970s, reflecting Saar’s period as a costume designer.