Nirith Nelson

Nirith Nelson

Nirith Nelson is a curator, lecturer, and cultural strategist whose work is defined by sustained engagement with artists and a commitment to fostering critically rigorous, internationally resonant practices. She operates across the contemporary art field through curatorial work, mentorship, and cross-disciplinary collaborations.

From 2022 to 2026, she served as Senior Curator and Head of the Department of Contemporary Art at the Israel Museum, where she led curatorial strategy, developed exhibition programs, and advanced the museum’s collections through research, acquisitions and donations. Her work foregrounded critical inquiry, dialogue across disciplines, and the creation of substantive contexts for international contemporary artistic production.

Nelson has curated over 40 exhibitions in Israel and internationally. Between 2001 and 2015, she directed JCVA - the Jerusalem Center for the Visual Arts, which, under her leadership, was recognized among the world’s 20 leading art residency programs. She also developed its distinctive tailor-made model, working in close dialogue with artists to shape individualized residencies aligned with their future trajectories, including curated professional encounters, research-based itineraries, and in-depth field engagement.

Since 1998, she has taught at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, and from 2017 to 2022 led the Curatorial Studies Program within the MA in Policy and Theory of the Arts. Across her work, Nelson maintains an ongoing commitment to mentorship, supporting artists in the development of ambitious, contextually grounded, and forward-looking practices.

Update: May 2026