team

Basak Senova (based in Vienna), the project leader of The Atlas, is a curator and designer. She studied Literature and Graphic Design (MFA in Graphic Design and Ph.D. in Art, Design, and Architecture at Bilkent University) and attended the 7th Curatorial Training Programme of Stichting De Appel, Amsterdam. In 2017, she received her Associate Professorship from the Higher Education Council of Turkey. Currently, she holds a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher position at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. Şenova has edited numerous books and served as a board member of several international publications. She has curated numerous biennials and exhibitions, including 2009: Pavilion of Turkey, Venice Biennale; 2015: Pavilion of North Macedonia, Venice Biennale; 2013: 2nd Biennial of Contemporary Art D-0 ARK Underground, Bosnia and Herzegovina; 2014: Helsinki Photography Biennial: Ecological Fallacy; 2014: The Jerusalem Show VII: Fractures; 2019: 5th Biennial of Contemporary Art D-0 ARK Underground, Bosnia and Herzegovina; 2019: Climbing Through the Tide, inaugural exhibition of B7L9, Tunis; 2018–2020: CrossSections Project; seven exhibitions (CrossSections Triology, KEX | WUK, _perspectives Konstfack, Stockholm, _notes, ExLab, KUVA, Helsinki; 2019, Shadow Optics. Lina Selander, Kunsthaus Wien (Vienna) Atelier. Egle Oddo. MACRO Asilo (Rome); 2020–2022: The Octopus Programme: B7L9, Tunis and AIL – Otto Wagner-Postsparkasse, Vienna. In 2022, she curated three group exhibitions: Ivy (Istanbul), Liquid Saturation (BAM, Palermo), and 2Fold (Kyrenia); in 2023, a design project for Kunsthaus Dahlem, Berlin, and the group exhibition Simurgh. Ten Women Artists from Iran at Galerie Crone, Berlin; in 2024, Sediment (co-curated with Dicle Bestas) at Rotor Galerie, Graz; and in 2025, The Atlas at Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna, Intangible at Rauminhalt, Vienna, and the Mirror/Specchio project (co-curated with Jonatan Habib Engqvist) in the framework of Agrigento Capitale Italiana Della Cultura 2025 at Teatro Pirandello, Agrigento, with further chapters in eight European cities in 2026. Since 2017, she has been living and working in Vienna. She is a founding member of the ZoNE and a corresponding member of the Wiener Secession.

Johan Thom is a South African artist, academic and curator who currently works as an Associate Professor at the University of Pretoria. His work is process-driven and explores materiality as a performative framework. Solo exhibitions by Thom include the Johannesburg Art Gallery (2008), Iwalewahaus (2010), Nirox Foundation and Sculpture Park (2024), the Goodman Gallery (Johannesburg, 2015) and Kalashnikovv Gallery (2023). Group exhibitions include the Canary Islands Biennale (2006), the Palazzo delle Papesse (2008) and many others. He has participated in conferences, workshops and artistic programmes at the Venice Biennale (2003, 2005), the University of Cambridge (2009), the Slade School of Fine Art (2010/11/12), Documenta 13 (2012), the University of Pretoria (2013/14/15 & 2021), “The Octopus Programme” (2020–22, University of Applied Arts Vienna), the African Centre for the Study of the United States (2022, IDSVA, Wits, UP, Nirox), “A Research of Doing” (2021–23, University of Applied Arts Vienna, The Centre For the Less Good Idea and UP), “Listening at The Edge” (2022–23, Pro Helvetia), and elsewhere. Most recently in 2025, he was invited as a visiting professor in Visual Art and Expanded Cinema at IUAV Faculty of Art and Design in Venice.

NIROX Team

Tristin Roland (NIROX curator) is the resident curator at the NIROX Foundation and the Villa-Legodi Centre for Sculpture. He is the contact person for the Soil and Water program at NIROX, where he is responsible for coordinating artist residencies, as well as managing the fabrication and installation of artworks. His role includes working directly with artists to plan and execute their projects, overseeing production logistics, and ensuring that installations are completed on time and to specification. He also supports the ongoing curatorial and operational needs of both NIROX and the Villa-Legodi Centre.

Benji Liebmann (NIROX Founder & Director) is the founder and director of NIROX, a cross-disciplinary non-profit arts foundation, including an artists’ residency and sculpture park. Liebmann lives and works in the Cradle of Humankind, a World Heritage Site on the outskirts of Johannesburg.

Zanele Mashini

Leroy Croft

Tammy du Toit

University of Pretoria Team

Genre Pretorius is a Pretoria based curator, event manager, part-time lecturer and administrative artist assistant with a background in contemporary, commercial and residential art installation and sales. Pretorius completed her Masters in Fine Arts (Curatorial Practice) from the University of Pretoria in 2024 with a focus on the digital display of artworks and creating present and immersive experiences in virtual environments. Pretorius managed the University of Pretoria Student and Link Galleries from 2021 to 2023, working on over 30 internal and external exhibitions both on and off campus. She curated many projects, including Magubane’s South Africa (2023), Nirox Open Labs II – Good Neighbours (2022), United Nations World Refugee Day Exhibition (2022) and Attached to the Soil (2022).

Soil & Water Dialogues

Ithateng Mogoro

Visual Identity & Design

TECHIZART Istanbul is a multi-media production company, specialised in the fields of arts, design and technology. Based in Istanbul, Techizart operates worldwide by supporting international galleries, museums, and artists in planning and implementing projects, installing exhibitions, and applying spatial designs for performances, as well as presenting artworks that understand their conceptual content and technical requirements. Techizart provides engineering expertise across all disciplines by delivering detailed planning and budgeting with customised and innovative solutions.