The Fondation Beyeler and the Chanel Culture Fund have appointed the first-ever Chanel Botanical Curator, establishing a new model for how museums engage with their natural surroundings and elevating nature to part of the museum’s collection.
Rahel Kesselring, a researcher at Humboldt University in Berlin whose work examines regeneration and rewilding practices in contemporary art, will take on the position beginning November 1. The curatorship—the first of its kind at a major arts institution—extends the museum’s programming beyond its galleries and into the surrounding landscape.
Working with artists, scientists, and the Fondation’s curatorial and education teams, Kesselring will develop conservation plans for the museum’s flora and fauna and oversee public programs centered on ecology and sustainability. The role builds on the vision of founders Ernst and Hildy Beyeler, who saw art and nature as equally integral to the museum’s mission.
“This is a moment we have been moving toward for a long time,” said Sam Keller, director of the Fondation Beyeler. “The creation of the Botanical Curator role—the first of its kind—is more than a new position. It’s a recognition that nature is not a backdrop to our work, but a living part of it.”
The Fondation Beyeler’s park, bordering a nature reserve and overlooking the Black Forest foothills, has hosted site-specific works by Christo, duo Fischli and Weiss, Olafur Eliasson, Precious Okoyomon, and Fujiko Nakaya. With Kesselring’s appointment, the museum formalizes its commitment to a form of curating that considers the landscape itself as an evolving exhibition space.
“Nature has long been one of the greatest sources of inspiration for the arts; our founder held a deep passion for both,” Yana Peel, Chanel’s global head of arts and culture, told ARTnews. “The appointment of the first Chanel Botanical Curator marks a pioneering moment, at a time when art and nature have never been more vital to joy, health, and community. We look forward to expanding curatorial expertise beyond the gallery walls and into the natural environment with Fondation Beyeler.”
