Beijing’s art world is witnessing the end of an era after Philip Tinari, the longtime director and chief executive of the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, announced that he will decamp for the Hong Kong culture and heritage destination Tai Kwun.
Tinari will serve as the deputy director and head of art at the parent organisation Tai Kwun Culture & Arts Company Limited (Tai Kwun Arts). He will oversee programming at the art institution Tai Kwun Contemporary and shape the strategy for its entire surrounding complex, which also includes performing arts and a number of galleries and restaurants.
Tinari takes over from Pi Li, Tai Kwun’s departing head of art, who also had his roots in the emerging years of Beijing’s art world through his gallery Boers-Li, before working at M+ in Hong Kong.
“I have been following Tai Kwun’s growth over these years and am truly excited to be part of its next chapter,” Tinari said in an announcement. “I look forward to steering Tai Kwun Contemporary’s programming, to driving greater engagement with existing and new audiences, to deepening and expanding its impact with diverse communities and stakeholders, and to raising its profile to the international art community.”
Tai Kwun is backed by the Jockey Club CPS Limited, which redirects some horse racing revenues into a number of arts and other charitable enterprises in Hong Kong. The Jockey Club’s director, Chin Chin Teoh, said in the statement: “Philip’s appointment is an exciting moment for Tai Kwun and for Hong Kong. His global outlook and ability to build cultural connections will bring fresh energy and support our long-term development. We’re confident that his leadership will enhance the experiences we offer and reinforce Tai Kwun’s role as a vibrant cultural destination for visitors from Hong Kong and beyond.”
Teoh and Tai Kwun Arts director Timothy Calnin both flag a 2018 collaboration with UCCA and Tinari for Tai Kwun’s opening solo exhibition of Cao Fei as leaving a deep impression on the institution. “Philip’s impressive record in establishing a dynamic and relevant contemporary art institution in Beijing which is revered both in China and around the world, will be a tremendous asset as Tai Kwun looks beyond the approaching 10th anniversary in 2028 to ensure a brilliant future,” Calnin said in a statement.
Tinari’s departure comes around six months after a report in the South China Morning Post (SCMP) alleged that UCCA was facing financial difficulties, which had caused several months of unpaid salaries. In a statement emailed to The Art Newspaper last year, UCCA said the SCMP article “was riddled with inaccuracies and exaggerations”. In its own statement, the SCMP said it stood by its story, stating it “was prepared following a comprehensive research process”.
Tinari was unavailable for comment about his move.
The UCCA board has appointed Lingyi Kong, who joined the institution in 2012 and was previously its vice president of communications, as its new chief executive officer. It has also hired Xi Guo, who has worked at UCCA since 2014 and was most recently its senior director of exhibitions, as its deputy director. Both positions take effect from Chinese New Year in February 2026.
Tinari, a US national, arrived in Beijing in the mid 2000s and was a founding editor of the China-based bilingual art magazine Leap before joining UCCA in 2011. He oversaw UCCA’s sale in 2017 by founders Guy and Myriam Ullens to a Chinese consortium and the establishment of branches in Qinhuangdao, Shanghai and Yixing. He has also been one of the Beijing art scene’s greatest global advocates.
In an UCCA statement, Tinari said: “It has been the privilege of my career to lead UCCA over the past decade and a half. I am deeply grateful to everyone who has supported us throughout our journey—and especially the artists, professionals, patrons, and viewers who make up our incredible community.”
