Lesley Lokko: Curator of the 18th International Architecture Biennale

3 min read

Since December it has been known that the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale (Saturday, May 20 to Sunday, November 26) will be directed by Ghanaian-Scottish architect Lesley Lokko, who was born in Scotland in 1964 and grew up in Ghana. She is the fourth female curator in the biennial's roughly 40-year history and describes herself as "representing the world's youngest continent." During the last Architecture Biennale, she was also already a member of the International Jury.

image Lesley Lokko
Lesley Lokko will be curating the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale. (Photo: Murdo Macleod)

As an architect and educator, Lesley Lokko is especially concerned with the relationship between people, culture and space – and not only in the field of architecture, but also in literature, as she has written twelve novels. Her 13th novel will be published to coincide with the 2023 Architecture Biennale. She is also editor-in-chief and founder of "FOLIO: Journal of Contemporary African Architecture" and guest editor of the UCL Press Series.

In addition to writing, Lesley Lokko has devoted herself to teaching since 1995, and has taught at many prestigious universities in the United States, Europe, Australia, and Africa. She is currently a visiting professor at the Bartlett School of Architecture in London and a founding member of the Council on Urban Initiatives. She has also founded two architecture faculties: the African Futures Institute in Accra, Ghana, and the Graduate School of Architecture in Johannesburg.

 

The theme that Lesley Lokko will choose for the 2023 Architecture Biennale has not yet been decided. But we are sure that it will be as multifaceted and profound as the architect herself. So a visit is definitely worthwhile! Therefore, we hope to welcome you on site again in 2023.

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