Pauline Burmann is specialist in contemporary African Art history and the diaspora. She studied History of Art, at the VU Free University of Amsterdam and “Contemporary Art history Africa” at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) in London.
Burmann is the director of the platform AAAT “African Arts and Theory” and works as an independent researcher, artistic programmer and academic advisor, facilitator, curator for the platform. She has been responsible for advising for exhibitions and art residencies, collaborating with individual artists, collectors and others, international art institutes, universities and art-academies, media and musea, and governmental institutions. The platform has an archive, library and is based in Amsterdam.
She lectured “Art history of contemporary African art and theory” at several universities and art schools in countries including Senegal, Ghana, South Africa, Ethiopie, Nigeria, Egypt, Germany, France, Morocco, Mauritius, Suriname, Sudan, the Netherlands, Scotland, Zimbabwe, Britain at the SOAS and London.
Burmann is board member Deveron Projects Scotland an artist in residency where the Town is the Venue.
Member of the Advisory Board of Vereniging Rembrandt / The Rembrandt Association , who supports museums in the Netherlands with the acquisition, research, and restoration of masterpieces. Burmann is responsible for advising art connected to Africa and the Diaspora.
In the Netherlands, she chairs the board of the Thami Mnyele Foundation Residency Award. For over nearly 35 years, this foundation has provided residency awards to artists from Africa and its Diaspora in Amsterdam.
On the moment she is writing a PHD. She has been invited by Robert Gordon University Scotland, Gray’s School of Art, to pursue a PhD by Public Output with the topic of “ Thami Mnyele Foundation artist in residency , with focus on the Artist Residencies in Africa. ”
latest activities
- Curator Moengo Arts festival Suriname september 2018.
- the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, SMBA: “Project 1975, contemporary Art and the Postcolonial Unconscious”
- Shadow Curator Deveron Projects Scotland. 2017 – 2018
- Selection committee long list Mandela Memorial Amsterdam 2019.
- Curator Zimbabwe exchange Tales and Taboos, 2019.
- Scientific Committee Nation 25 Italie. 2019-ongoing
- Curator pARTage International Artists Workshop and exhibition “Conflict Zone”, Mauritius 2019.
- Member Selection committee National Gallery of Zimbabwe; “2019 The year of Rembrandt; Zimbabwean artists focus on Rembrandt”. Exhibition and catalogue, 2019.
- Mondriaan Fund The Netherlands, Orientation trip 2019 United Arab Emirates, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, and Pakistan, Karachi and Lahore.
- British Arts Council Orientation trip 2019 Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kenya.
- Coordinating for the year 2020/2021 the 30 years celebrations and publication for the artist-in-residence Thami Mnyele Foundation Award Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
- Exhibition Crossing Cultures, 30 years Thami Mnyele Foundation residency award, at the CBK zuidoost Amsterdam. 2020/2021.
- Curator ARTZUID; Amsterdam Sculpture Biennale 2021.
- As Member Arttable The Netherlands, professional organisation dedicated to advancing leadership and fostering opportunities for woman in Arts, advising conference on “Diversity in the Arts”. 2021-2022.
- Advising several master and PHD students from University Amsterdam, Erasmus University and Leiden University in contemporary African Art ongoing
- Norval Foundation l Nominating Board Norval Sovereign African Art Prize, 2022, 2023.
- Beelden Aan Zee, curating exhibition ‘AIR Africa, artists in residencies in Africa”, 2023
- EU project ‘Recollect, Reckoning with Europe’s Colonial Past Through the Cultural Sector for a More Inclusive Future”. Participating organisation name: University of Amsterdam, University Fernando Pessoa, Le Mans University, University of Bergen, Stedelijk Van Abbe Museum, Eindhoven, Stichting Framer Framed, Ville de Bordeaux-Musee d’Antique, De Appel, African arts and Theory. 2022-ongoing
- ‘Labyrinth’ project Suriname with Razia Barsatie. 2022-2023.
- Jury member Society General Cote d’Ivoire, 2022.
- ‘Art Essays Translation project’, West Africa, Heritage museum Studies INSAAC, Abidjan Ivory Coast 2022-ongoing
- Invitation Robert Gordon University Scotland, Gray’s School of Art, for writing a PHD by Public Output ” Artist in Residencies in Africa’. 2022-ongoing
- Norval Foundation l Nominating Board Norval Sovereign African Art Prize, 2025
- “Labyrinth’ project , with Razia Barsatie and Sarjini Lewis Suriname/ Netherlands. 2022-2025.
- Free University Amsterdam, Lectures ‘Contemporary Art from Africa and Diaspora’ 2010-ongoing
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