Joseph del Pesco is an American curator, writer, organizer, and perennial collaborator. For the past 14 years, he’s been part of the leadership of KADIST, a globally networked institution founded in Paris in 2006. In 2010, he established KADIST’s fast-paced program of residencies, events and exhibitions in San Francisco, where he served as director. In 2016 he became International Director, helping KADIST transition into an international program of collaborations with art centers, collections and museums across the Americas, Asia, Europe and beyond. del Pesco has facilitated numerous collaborations, expanded the organization's network of advisors around the world, and regularly contributed to the growing collection of 2200 artworks from 120 different countries. Among his many projects and exhibitions with leadings artists, del Pesco created the first international residency for art magazines, reimagined an historic artist contract to fund a charity chosen by the artist, created a free-school by aggregating events across a city, and co-organized conferences and screenings at the New Museum and Centre Pompidou, and the Museo Tamayo. Since 2022 he’s lived nomadically, between Europe and the Americas. His sold-out collection of short stories about imaginary museums, The Museum Took a Few Minutes To Collect Itself, was published by Art Metropole (Toronto) in 2018.
In 2011, with his partner (chef) Helena del Pesco, they designed, opened and ran the restaurant LARDER in Baltimore (US) for three years (2019-2021). The following year they were invited to redesign the cafe at the ICA at VCU in Richmond Virginia, and have organized experimental pop-ups in Mexico City, Barcelona and Oaxaca, among others.