Shabbir Hussain Mustafa, chief curator of the Singapore Art Museum (SAM), has been named the artistic director of the Aichi Triennale scheduled for 2028. Mustafa, a Sri Lanka-born Singapore permanent resident, will become the second foreigner to lead the contemporary art festival held in Aichi prefecture, Japan, since its inception in 2010.
The appointment follows the trail set by Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, an Emirati who directed the 2023 edition and was recently recognized on a major art magazine’s 2024 power list. Al Qasimi is the founder of the Sharjah Art Foundation and directed the Biennale of Sydney in 2026.
Mustafa, 42, expressed his enthusiasm for the role, emphasizing the festival’s significance in addressing critical contemporary issues through art. He noted his intention to engage closely with the local community and the diverse audiences that the triennale attracts.
Although this will be Mustafa’s first time leading an event of this size, he brings considerable international curatorial experience. He is one of four co-curators for the Rubaiya Qatar, a new contemporary art quadrennial debuting in November 2026. His past projects include curating the Singapore Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2015 and co-curating the 2018 Dhaka Art Summit.
The Aichi Triennale’s organizing committee highlighted Mustafa’s global vision, extensive network, and dedication to site-specific and locally grounded art practices as key factors in their decision. These qualities align with the festival’s goal to deepen its cultural relevance in Aichi and enhance its international profile.
The triennale has become a significant cultural and economic event in Japan. The 2025 edition drew over 520,000 visitors during an 80-day run, with an estimated regional economic impact of around 10 billion yen (approximately $78 million), according to the prefecture’s cultural affairs department.
Mustafa holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in South Asian studies from the National University of Singapore. He has curated exhibitions at institutions including the National University of Singapore Museum, National Gallery Singapore (NGS), and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. In 2023, he led "Tropical: Stories From Southeast Asia And Latin America," a major cross-continental exhibition at NGS that uniquely connected works from two diverse regions.
Nominated for the Aichi role by Eugene Tan, CEO and director of the NGS and SAM, Mustafa’s appointment was confirmed by a selection panel composed of Japanese museum directors and academics, led by chairperson Obayashi Takeo.
SAM announced that Mustafa will continue his chief curator duties and remain based in Singapore while preparing for the 2028 Aichi Triennale. His appointment adds to a growing list of Singaporean curators gaining recognition on the global stage, alongside figures such as artist Ho Tzu Nyen, who is the artistic director of the 2026 Gwangju Biennale in South Korea.