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11 October 2025
1:00 pm to 2:15 pm
£10/£8
manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/events/hans-ulri...
whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/
Activism
Manchester Literature Festival
Join us for an unmissable afternoon with Hans Ulrich Obrist, the art world’s ultimate connector and curator of the unexpected, as he shares stories from his coming-of-age memoir, Life in Progress and explores the transformational power of art and connection.
Part how-to guide for a curiosity-fuelled life, part behind-the-scenes of the global art world, this is more than just a story – it’s a call to action. After a near-death accident at age six, Hans Ulrich developed a passion for art as survival. From exhibitions in hotel bedrooms to collaborations with gamers, philosophers, and pop icons, to Instagram archives of handwritten artist phrases, Hans Ulrich has spent his life transforming how and where we experience art. His unstoppable energy and innovative thinking have made him one of the most influential voices in culture today.
Currently Artistic Director of the Serpentine Galleries in London, and formerly a curator at the Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris, Hans Ulrich has curated over 300 shows worldwide and visited more than 4,600 sartists’ studios. He has collaborated with Marina Abramovic, Etel Adnan, Louise Bourgeois, Gilbert and George, Edouard Glissant, Yoko Ono, Gerhard Richter, Tomas Saraceno and many more artists.
Hans will be in conversation with Sook-Kyung Lee, Director of The Whitworth.
Presented in partnership with The Whitworth.
Wheelchair Users and those with other access needs requiring a free Essential Carer ticket should contact the Quaytickets Box Office on 0161 876 2015 to purchase tickets.
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