about Cen
The Curatorial Ethics Network is a global initiative focused on integrity, accountability, and inclusivity within the art ecosystem. Our mission is to operate as a community focused on contemporary art curation, contemporary art and the visual arts sector, navigating the ethical complexities of contemporary art and curatorial practices by engaging in dialogue, research, and collaborative frameworks.
Dr Gabrielle Barkess-Kerr
Founder and Director of CEN
Gabrielle is the founder and director of the Curatorial Ethics Network (CEN), an international initiative launched in December 2024, that provides critical leadership on ethics in contemporary curatorial practice and the wider contemporary arts ecosystem. Through CEN, Gabrielle develops strategic frameworks, research agendas, and interdisciplinary dialogue addressing ethical questions across art institutions, professional cultures, and curatorial labour.
Gabrielle is based in the UK and operates as an anthropologist, curator, and Teaching Fellow in Contemporary Art Theory at Edinburgh College of Art (ECA). Gabrielle holds a doctorate in Social Anthropology from Durham University, and MA in Socio-Cultural Anthropology and a BA in History of Art, and are an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA). Gabrielle’s research and practice operates at the intersection of contemporary art, curation, and anthropology, with a particular focus on ethnography, the anthropology of professionals and expertise, and ethical approaches to cultural practice. Gabrielle has also worked in creative agencies and in public engagement roles, and has appeared on expert panels within the contemporary art sector.