Zoé Whitley, PhD is an American-born curator and writer who lives and works in London, UK. Named an honorary recipient of an OBE for Services to Art, she is a Fine Arts faculty member for the British School at Rome. 

Whitley led the vanguard arts space Chisenhale Gallery as Director (2020-2025), resulting in artist commissions acquired by the Whitney, Henie Onstad Kunstsenter and Mudam Luxembourg, among others. Projects span exhibitions and publications at the V&A (2003-2013); Studio Museum in Harlem (2013-14); Tate Britain (2013-15); Tate Modern (2014-19, notably co-curating Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power); and the Hayward Gallery (2019), as well as the British Pavilion at the 58th Venice Biennale. Committee and international jury expertise includes the London Mayor’s Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm, Future Generation Art Prize (Ukraine), Preis der Nationalgalerie (Germany), Sam Gilliam Award (USA), Sobey Art Award (Canada), Suzanne Deal Booth/ FLAG Art Foundation Prize (USA), and Turner Prize (UK). Editor of solid!, the comprehensive Barkley L. Hendricks monograph, she is Betye Saar’s official biographer.

Whitley is a trustee of Teiger Foundation (New York City), Sir John Soane’s Museum and Gasworks/ Triangle Arts Network (London).