Robert Kluijver (Cyprus, 1968) is a curator and analyst of international relations specialized in the Middle East. He studied International Relations in Amsterdam and Paris and worked in this field for many years in Central Asia and Afghanistan (for NGOs, the United Nations and the Open Society Institute among others) before turning to the arts.
Exhibitions over the past years include:
- Afghan Pavilion in Venice (Lida Abdul & Rahim Walizada), Venice Biennial, 2005
- Green Zone / Red Zone (Iraqi art) in Gemak, The Hague, 2007
- Future Afghanistan (art and contemporary culture from Afghanistan) in Gemak, The Hague, 2008
- No Man’s Land (Palestinian art) in Gemak, The Hague, 2008
- Promised Land (Israeli art) in Gemak, The Hague, 2009
- Indy India (Independent Indian cinema) in cooperation with Shai Heredia, Filmhuis Den Haag, 2009
- Kabul Pavilion (Occupied Kabul for Afghans) in Amsterdam Biennial, Mediamatic, 2009
- The New Middle East (6 artists) at Baars Projects, Amsterdam, 2011
- I am Anything, I am Everything (Ayman Yossri Daydban solo show; book & curatorial assistance) Athr Gallery, Jeddah, 2012
- The New World Summit (a project by Dutch artist Jonas Staal), Berlin Biennial, 2012
- Assistant curator for the Kochi Muziris Biennale, Kerala, India, 2012.
He is the author of ‘Borders: Contemporary Middle Eastern Art and Discourse’, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, 2010 and a number of exhibition catalogues and magazine articles in English, French and Dutch.
Since 2010 Robert Kluijver is a lecturer in International Relations at Sciences Po in Paris, teaching the course ‘Contemporary Art and Geopolitics in the Middle East’ every year to Master Students. Other non-art activities include commissioned research reports (Iraq) and assessments (Arts Collaboratory), giving workshops (Creative Cities in Skopje, Macedonia) and other short-term assignments
He is an active participant in the Dutch art world, for example as Chair of the Foreign Residencies Commission of the Mondriaan Fund.
For more information see his website