Talk by Sean Burns

Editor and writer Sean Burns draws on experience as an editor at frieze magazine and a freelance writer, sharing insights into how artists, critics, galleries, magazines, and writers work together at a time when the institutional and media landscape is shifting. Addressing how artists and writers can interact, draw attention to their work, and understand the different roles that shape visibility in contemporary culture, Sean unpacks how arts publishing and criticism operate today and reflects openly on mistakes, successes, and lessons learned.

FREE 5.30pm Monday 23 November 2026

About Sean Burns
Sean Burns is an editor and writer. He writes extensively on art and culture and has taught as a visiting lecturer at the Royal College of Art, London, and the Ruskin School of Art, University of Oxford. In 2023, Tate Publishing released his book Death, which examines the relationship between grief and love in Tate’s collection. He has written major profiles of artists including Marlene Dumas and Sang Woo Kim; contributed essays to books and exhibition catalogues on figures such as Richard Maguire, Jack O’Brien and Jenkin Van Zyl; and conducted interviews with leading cultural figures including Adam Curtis, Jack Halberstam and Shirin Neshat. In 2024, he received a development grant from Montez Press, with whom he is developing his first novel, due for publication in 2027. He lives in London and is an associate editor at frieze.

Sean’s visit to Aotearoa New Zealand has been organised by the Office for Contemporary Art Aotearoa and supported by Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki and the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery.