Newly appointed professor of curating and writing in contemporary art wants to train curators who can connect art, research and society
Uniarts Helsinki’s Academy of Fine Arts strengthens its international profile as Michael Birchall takes on the role of professor of curating and writing in contemporary art (Praxis). Birchall brings extensive experience from museums, teaching, and research in Europe and North America.
UK-born Dr. Michael Birchall is a curator and writer with over 15 years of experience leading curatorial and public programmes in the UK, Germany, Canada, and Switzerland. Until recently, he was co-director of exhibitions at the Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst in Zürich, Switzerland.
Birchall’s expertise spans contemporary art, socially engaged practices, and institutional strategy. From 2016 to 2020, he served as curator of public practice at Tate Liverpool and senior lecturer at Liverpool School of Art and Design, where he continues as a visiting fellow. He has contributed to a wide range of critical publications on contemporary art and curatorial studies.
Curiosity and research
For Birchall, taking on the position of professor at Uniarts Helsinki was a welcome change but also a natural continuation of his interests.
“When this role was posted, I liked the idea of combining teaching and doing your own research, and in my case, my own curatorial practice and writing. Also, I’ve always found it really inspiring to work with students.”
His curatorial work has always been very research-oriented.
“I’ve always been the person whothat has approachesd exhibitions in quite a scholarly manner. I’ve always read the materials and delved into a topic, and contacted other researchers who are experts in their fields.”topic
As a curator and a scholar, Birchall is interested in a variety of societal topics. In the last five years at the Migro Museum, the exhibitions that he has curated have touched on themes such as care, queerness, activism, and crisescommunity. This wide-ranging curiosity is also keeping Birchall busy. His latest curatorial project, an exhibition that opened as recently as September, is a retrospective of Korean artist Haegue Yang, whose works explore the complexities of identity, migration, and cultural hybridity. He is currently working on a book about publicness in museums, a topic onf which he has already published several articles and book chapters already. Another current interest is the housing crisis and the many ways that it affects people globally.
“An interest or a research topic can start out quite small and then can grow into an exhibition, a catalogue, or a symposium, even.”
Birchall thinks that curiosity and a research-mindset are important for future curators, as well.
“If you enter this field and start working in different arts contexts, you need to continually open yourself to new dialogues and debates.”
Birchall hopes that future curators will not only possess a deep understanding of their discipline but also the capacity to engage meaningfully with both artists and audiences.
“I think in terms of skills and capabilities: a true grasp of what curatorial practice means today, and how it has evolved from the past, is essential. So too is the ability to write and communicate ideas clearly to the public. But above all, curiosity and the capacity to connect with others are absolutely vital.”
He hopes to strengthen the Praxis programme’s ties to outside institutions in Finland and internationally to bring in new thinking to teaching and enhance students’ practical skills.
“I realise that the programme already has a lot of strengths that maybe aren’t talked about. For example, Praxis’ curriculum includes a paid internship in an institution, which is just incredible.”
Birchall also looks forward to strengthening curatorial research by bridging the Praxis programme more closely to the doctoral programme. During his career in museums, he noticed a lack of opportunities for curators to continue their learning.
“Coming directly from the museum world, there’s quite a big gap between how you continue to learn and engage in your practice. In that regard, I’m quite interested in engaging with curators or museum directors or arts professionals that are already inside organisations, but want to have some time to do research.”
Art and curator students in dialogue
In addition to research and societal issues, artistic work is equally interesting to Birchall.
“Talking to artists about their work and how they approach it has been such a driving force in my practice as a curator since the beginning, really.”
The Academy of Fine Arts houses both curatorial and theoretical programmes, and, and a fine arts programme. Birchall sees this coexistence as “very realistic”.
“In the art world, the dialogue between artists and curators or writers is always there. Having this duality of both students in the same room or in conversation with one another brings in a different set of perspectives and ideas.”
Michael Birchall will begin in his position as professor of Praxis – curating and writing in contemporary art on 3 November 2025. The position is permanent.
Read more about the Praxis – curating and writing in contemporary art master’s programme