Founded in 1975, ICI is the only organization dedicated solely to supporting the work of contemporary art curators, and has been of service to tens of thousands of curators globally at every stage in their careers, covering every element of their work in a rapidly changing cultural landscape, as they champion artists and serve their communities in more than 75 countries. On October 6, 2025, our Gala will bring together a community of patrons, curators, and artists at Cipriani Broadway in New York City to celebrate 50 Years of Curatorial Impact, honor ICI’s unparalleled global network of cultural leaders, and recognize its lasting impact on the curatorial field.
“This year, we celebrate a milestone in ICI’s history: half a century of building upon the vision of our founders, Susan Sollins and Nina Castelli Sundell, who in 1975 imagined a world more powerfully connected by the art of our times,” says ICI Executive & Artistic Director Renaud Proch. “Today, ICI is a leader in the curatorial field, empowering curators to champion artists, embrace experimentation, and connect communities through art.”
The Honorees & Core Pillars
Empowering Curators: Since its founding, ICI has recognized that the curator’s role goes far beyond exhibition-making or collections-building. Whether working in an institution or independently, curators find artists and help them produce and present their work, develop new scholarship about the art of our times, and bring about new art spaces. Mariane Ibrahim embodies this same spirit of empowerment in her gallery program, which she founded in order to promote bold artistic voices and shape enduring careers. Ibrahim has worked in close dialogue with and championed many curators throughout her career, and has recognized and embraced ICI’s work and growing expansion in Chicago.
Promoting Innovation: ICI deeply values collaboration and champions innovative curatorial practice, including through professional development programs, research initiatives, and groundbreaking exhibitions. Artists Julie Mehretu and Paul Pfeiffer have made transformative contributions to the field. As co-founders of Denniston Hill, along with architectural historian Lawrence Chua, they built a residency program and artist resource network that nurtures the incubation of ideas, the fostering of community, and the creation of art that looks to a more just, imaginative world. Mehretu is a defining voice in contemporary art, championing radical thinking both in her own work and in her support of artists and institutions. Pfeiffer is acclaimed for his pioneering uses of digital media and found imagery, and has expanded how we experience visual culture and its psychological undertones. Together, they exemplify a commitment to artistic innovation, encouraging deep thinking among artists and curators.
Championing Curators’ Impact on Communities: Curators bring people together around art and help create a sense of belonging, mutual understanding, and critical thinking among the wider society. Helen and Peter Warwick enact and embody this work as devoted advocates and patrons of the arts. Helen has advanced curatorial work through decades of institutional support and relationship-building. Peter is a civic-minded leader who has championed initiatives that place community at the center of cultural engagement at institutions such as the Walker Art Center, the Queens Museum and The Olana Partnership. They are steadfast in their support of New York’s cultural institutions and the curators who shape them, ensuring that art remains deeply connected to, and reflective of, its communities.
About the Honorees
Mariane Ibrahim
Mariane Ibrahim is a Somali-French gallerist who champions a cosmopolitan and inclusive vision of contemporary art. Through her namesake Mariane Ibrahim Gallery—which has locations in Chicago, Paris, and Mexico City—she is a powerful advocate for artists from Africa and its diaspora, expanding representation and reshaping global narratives. Her deep respect for curators and belief in their role as cultural catalysts is a staple of her work. In championing new voices and supporting curatorial collaboration, especially enriching Chicago’s art scene and affirming ICI’s work locally, Mariane exemplifies ICI’s pillar of Empowering Curators.
Julie Mehretu
Born in Ethiopia and based in New York, Julie Mehretu is an artist whose work draws on architecture, mapping, and urban grids, evoking complex social networks and expanding how we understand place and belonging. In 2004, Mehretu co‑founded the Denniston Hill residency, alongside artist Paul Pfeiffer and architectural historian Lawrence Chua. Over more than 20 years, the retreat in the Catskills has nurtured generations of experimental artists and curators. Julie’s fearless creativity, generosity, and commitment to making space for others to continually gain access and push the boundaries of artistic and curatorial practice embodies ICI’s pillar of Promoting Innovation.
Paul Pfeiffer
Born in Honolulu and based in New York, Paul Pfeiffer is an artist celebrated for his groundbreaking use of digital media and moving image. Through precise manipulation of footage from pop culture, sports, concerts, and Hollywood films, he explores how spectacle shapes our collective memory and identity. In 2004, Pfeiffer co-founded the Denniston Hill residency with artist Julie Mehretu and architectural historian Lawrence Chua. For over two decades, the retreat has fostered space for experimental work and deep reflection. Paul’s bold artistic vision and dedication to nurturing new modes of thinking make him a natural fit for ICI’s pillar of Promoting Innovation.
Helen and Peter Warwick
Helen and Peter Warwick are long-standing advocates for the arts whose thoughtful generosity and leadership have been felt across cultural landscapes in and outside New York. Helen has advanced curatorial work through decades of institutional support and relationship-building. She currently teaches on the graduate Museum Studies program at NYU; serves as Vice-Chair of the Board of SculptureCenter; is Secretary of the Board of Directors at the Center for Art, Research and Alliances (CARA); and previously served as President of the Board of Trustees of Danspace Project for five years. Peter, a civic-minded leader and current President and CEO of Scholastic Inc., has championed initiatives that place community at the center of cultural engagement. He serves on the Boards of Trustees of the Queens Museum and The Olana Partnership, continuing a long-standing commitment to cultural institutions. Together, Helen and Peter reflect ICI’s pillar of Championing Curators’ Impact on Communities, uplifting the people and institutions that connect art with the public in lasting, meaningful ways.
About Independent Curators International
Independent Curators International (ICI) supports the work of curators to help create stronger art communities through experimentation, collaboration and international engagement. Curators are arts community leaders and organizers who champion artistic practice, build essential infrastructures and institutions, and generate public engagement with art. Our collaborative programs connect curators across generations and across social, political and cultural borders. They form an international framework for sharing knowledge and resources—promoting cultural exchange, access to art, and public awareness for the curator’s role. http://www.curatorsintl.org/
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