In a historic appointment, Canadian curator and writer Kitty Scott has been named the chief curator for the 2025 Shanghai Biennale. This milestone marks her as the first woman to spearhead the prestigious exhibition since its inception in 1996, a significant step towards gender representation in the art curatorial field.
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With an extensive background in the Canadian contemporary art scene, Scott has held influential roles at several prominent international galleries. Her distinguished career includes serving as the curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the esteemed Art Gallery of Ontario, acting as chief curator at London’s celebrated Serpentine Gallery, and overseeing the Canadian Pavilion during the acclaimed 57th Venice Biennale, further solidifying her reputation as a leading figure in the art world.
The upcoming Shanghai Biennale will be hosted at the Power Station of Art, and Scott’s innovative exhibition is titled “Does the Flower Hear the Bee?” This thematic exploration delves into the remarkable interplay between flowers and bees; flowers possess the ability to sense the vibrations created by nearby bees and, in a fascinating response, enhance their nectar sweetness to attract these crucial pollinators. “It’s a fascinating discovery that made me think differently about the kinds of intelligence around us,” she explained. “We humans can no longer imagine ourselves as having a monopoly on intelligence or communication. ‘Does the Flower Hear the Bee?’ asks us to imagine a wider network of communicative agents collectively shaping the world and each other.”
The Power Station of Art in Shanghai, the site of the city’s biennale. Photo courtesy the Shanghai Biennale.
Scott was appointed as the first female chief curator at the National Gallery of Canada in 2020, yet faced dismissal in 2022 during a contentious restructuring process. Reflecting on her experiences, she emphasized, “Progress in such appointments is fragile. In Canada, the major institutions are now all led by men, though until recently, many were led by women. I hope we see women in these leadership roles again soon.”
When discussing her vision for the Shanghai Biennale and how she intends to incorporate themes related to the Global South, Scott asserted: “I am deeply interested in following the artists’ eyes and ears and learning with them. Art is a means of creating provisional communities and we need to find new ways of being together in the world, new ways of connecting and communicating. That means embracing the perspectives of the Global South, which the so-called mainstream art world has only begun to recognize in the past couple of decades, as well as voices that have been marginalized within the hegemonic centers of artistic production. That said, the boundaries that have long distinguished North and South seem to be less relevant than ever, with more flows and exchanges, more hybridization—all qualities we find in the most exciting and relevant contemporary art.”
The highly anticipated Shanghai Biennale is set to open its doors in November 2025, promising to be a landmark event in the global art calendar.
Bee?’ encourages us to consider the interconnectedness of all living beings and the diverse forms of intelligence that exist in nature.”
**Interview with Kitty Scott, Chief Curator of the 2025 Shanghai Biennale**
**Interviewer:** Kitty, congratulations on your historic appointment as the chief curator for the 2025 Shanghai Biennale! How does it feel to be the first woman to take on this role?
**Kitty Scott:** Thank you! It’s truly an honor and also a great responsibility. I’m excited to bring my vision to life at such a prestigious platform. This milestone also signifies a shift towards greater gender representation in curatorial positions, which I hope inspires future generations.
**Interviewer:** Your exhibition, “Does the Flower Hear the Bee?” sounds intriguing. Can you tell us what inspired this theme?
**Kitty Scott:** The title stems from a fascinating phenomenon in nature—the interaction between flowers and their bee pollinators. I was captivated by how flowers can sense bee vibrations and respond by enhancing their sweetness to attract them. This exploration invites us to think about the complex forms of communication and intelligence that exist beyond just human understanding.
**Interviewer:** How do you envision this theme translating into the artistic works that will be featured in the biennale?
**Kitty Scott:** I’m looking for works that reflect this interconnectedness and challenge traditional notions of intelligence. Art has a unique ability to speak to these themes, and I hope to showcase pieces that highlight relationships within ecosystems and the broader web of life.
**Interviewer:** As someone with extensive experience in the art world, how do you see the role of contemporary art in addressing environmental issues today?
**Kitty Scott:** Contemporary art plays a crucial role in raising awareness about environmental concerns. It can provoke thought, spark dialogue, and inspire action. Through art, we can engage audiences in ways that statistics and reports often cannot. My aim is to create a space at the biennale that encourages visitors to reflect on their own connection to the environment.
**Interviewer:** We’re looking forward to seeing how “Does the Flower Hear the Bee?” unfolds. Any final thoughts you’d like to share?
**Kitty Scott:** I’m thrilled to be part of this conversation and to work with talented artists from around the globe. I believe that through art, we can explore and celebrate the intricate connections in our world, fostering a deeper appreciation for the natural intelligence around us.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Kitty! We can’t wait to see what you bring to the Shanghai Biennale.
**Kitty Scott:** Thank you for having me! I hope to see everyone there.
