Ekow Eshun OBE is a distinguished curator, writer, and broadcaster, renowned for his multifaceted contributions to contemporary culture. Described by Vogue as “the most inspired—and inspiring—curator in Britain”, he has staged acclaimed exhibitions internationally and was awarded the Association for Art History’s Curatorial Prize 2023.

A trailblazer in British culture, he made history as the first Black head of a major UK arts institution, as Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. As Chairman of the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, he leads one of the world’s most iconic public art projects.

Eshun’s writing, featured in outlets such as The New York Times, Financial Times, and Vogue, among others, and reflects his expansive intellectual vision. He served as editor of the former men’s magazine, Arena. He is also the author of The Strangers: Five Extraordinary Black Men and the Worlds That Made Them, longlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize and the Jhalak Prize, and Black Earth Rising: Colonialism and Climate Change in Contemporary Art.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and holds an honorary doctorate from London Metropolitan University.