Building on her foundational experiences of the cultural exchange between the Soviet Union and Western Europe in the 1990s, the focal points of Kathrin Becker's curatorial career have long been intercultural issues. Her exhibition projects critically reflect on the redefinition of the cultural concept in both territories after the dissolution of the political blocs, through national, regional, and certain cultural-political settlements in particular. Becker's work has culminated to address transnational issues in the global context, focusing on the role of visual art in society and the complex of exclusion / inclusion in contemporary cultures.
Since February 2020, she has worked as the Artistic Director of the KINDL – Centre for Contemporary Art.
From 2001 to 2019 she worked as a curator, Managing Director and Head of the Video-Forum at Neuer Berliner Kunstverein (n.b.k).
From 1991 to 2001 she worked as an independent curator.
Kathrin Becker has curated numerous exhibitions in institutions such as the KINDL – Centre for Contemporary Art, Berlin; Neuer Berliner Kunstverein (n.b.k.), Berlin; National Centre For Contemporary Art, Moscow; P.S. 1 Museum / The Institute of Contemporary Art, New York; National Museum for Contemporary Art, Oslo; Fotomuseum Winterthur; Mies van der Rohe Pavillon, Barcelona; Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius; Gallery of the Capital Prague; Kunst-Werke Berlin / KW Institute for Contemporary Art; Moscow House of Photography; and Moscow Central House of Artists.
She has curated solo shows including artists such as Bani Abidi (2017); Georges Adéagbo (2021); Halil Altındere (2016); Nairy Baghramian (2014); Eric Baudelaire (2018); Rosa Barba (2016); Ursula Biemann (2013); Alexandra Bircken (2021); John Bock (2019); Louise Bourgeois (2003); Candice Breitz (2019); Eli Cortinas (2021); Kajsa Dahlberg (2014); Dellbrügge / de Moll (1994); Tatjana Doll (2021); Assaf (Safy) Etiel (1998); Ceal Floyer (2018); Claire Fontaine (2017/2018); Maryam Jafri (2006); Mona Hatoum (2022); Rhys Hollis (2023); Laura Horelli (2011/2012); Allan Kaprow (2012); Inez van Lamsweerde / Judy Fox (1996); Takuji Kogo / John Miller (2015); Basir Mahmood (2021); Rémy Markowitsch (2022); Michaela Melián (2022); Isa Melsheimer (2020); Christiane Möbus (2008); Andrei Monastyrski (1994); Matthias Müller (2004); Hajnal Németh (2010); Nik Nowak (2020); Ann Oren (2020); Elizabeth Price (2016); Dmitri A. Prigov (1993); Laure Prouvost (2014); Oliver Ressler (2015); Gerwald Rockenschaub (2016); Maya Roos (1998); Larissa Sansour / Søren Lind (2023); Ira Schneider (2006); Lerato Shadi (2020); Anatoly Shuravlev (2005); Jan Svenungsson (1998); Emma Talbot (2023); Gernot Wieland (2022); Yevgeny Yufit (1994); Vadim Zakharov / Niklas Nitschke (2013); David Zink Yi (2012); and Artur Zmijewski (2007).
Her projects and group exhibitions include Landscapes of Belonging (2022); Ischezajushchij i vechnyj (2022); The Invented History (2020); Facts and Fictions (2017); A Sense of History (2016); Feminismen (2015); Time Pieces (2014); Video Trajectories (2014); III Moscow International Biennale For Young Art (MIBYA) (2012); Gruppenbild (2010/2011); No more bad girls? (2010); Excuse me, are you famous (2009); Conceptual Art From California (2008); Masculinities (2005); displaced. Interventions / interactions in public space (2005); Schizorama (2004); Illuminating Video (2003/2004); Urban Collisions (2003); Stardust Deluxe (2002); Over the Moon (2002); Remake Berlin (2000/2001); Can you hear me? 2nd Ars Baltica Triennial of Photographic Art (1999-2001); New Moscow (1999/2000); Pink for Boys – Blue for Girls (1999); art club berlin (1998); Last house on the left (1998); pop mix / vol. II (1996); pop mix / volume one (1996); Flight - Departure - Disappearance. Moscow Conceptual Art (1995/1996); The Institute of Theore(c)tical Painting (1993/1994); and Stalin's Choice - Soviet Socialist Realism 1932-1956 (1992).
Kathrin Becker has published widely in exhibition catalogues and magazines and served on numerous curatorial teams, advisory boards, and juries.