23.09.2026, 12:00—13:00
Karen Verschooren
This autumn, Cas-co turns its attention closer to home. Rather than looking beyond Leuven, this edition of our Curatorial Talks explores the richness and diversity of curatorial practices already active within the city. We invite three female curators whose work approaches curating from distinct yet complementary positions: Karen Verschooren from STUK, whose institutional practice has a strong focus on moving image and media arts; Laure Vanrijckeghem, curator of Paraplufabriek and residency coordinator at M Leuven, working closely with artistic development and residency practices; and Sevie Tsampalla, whose work within Lov2030 approaches programming through facilitation, collaboration and the long-term process of building a European Capital of Culture.
Each curator will spend time at Cas-co through a series of studio visits with our resident artists, followed at noon by a Curatorial Talk open to everyone. The talks are conceived less as formal lectures and more as starting points for exchange: a chance to hear how different curatorial practices are shaped, what questions they are currently grappling with, and how they work alongside artists and institutions. Afterwards, we gather around the table for a communal lunch. Bring something to the table — food, a question, or both — and continue the conversation with us.
23 September — Karen Verschooren, STUK
21 October — Laure Vanrijckeghem, Paraplufabriek & M Leuven
18 November — Sevie Tsampalla, Lov2030
NL
Karen Verschooren is een hedendaagse kunstcurator gevestigd in België. Als hoofd tentoonstellingen bij STUK Kunstencentrum in Leuven curereert ze zowel solotentoonstellingen als een jaarlijks conceptueel groepsproject en festival genaamd Artefact. Ze is gefascineerd door artistiek werk dat haar op sensuele en emotionele vlak aantrekt, terwijl het haar ook intellectueel voedt. Ze heeft een bijzondere affiniteit met bewegend beeld (Artists’ Moving Image).
In de afgelopen jaren werkte ze samen aan solotentoonstellingen met onder anderen: Elisabeth Subrin (2026); Saodat Ismailova (2025); Raven Chacon (2024); Liz Magic Laser (2023); Ben Rivers (2023); Helen Cammock (2021); Angela Washko (2021); Mircea Cantor (2020); Sebastián Díaz Morales (2019); Mika Taanila (2018); Nevin Aladağ (2018); Omer Fast (2017); Joachim Koester (2017); Emre Hüner (2016); John Akomfrah (2016); Bjørn Melhus (2015).
Daarnaast curereerde ze groepstentoonstellingen zoals: Grind Grind Grind, Release. An Exhibition as a Massage (2026); At the still point of the turning world (2024); The Ecstatic Being (2023); Wired for Empathy (2021); AND& — Look at Us Now (2021); Alone Together (2020); This Rare Earth — Stories from Below (2018); On Alchemy and Magic (2017); The Act of Magic (2017); Up in the Air (2016).
Van 2008 tot 2015 was ze curator bij Z33, Huis voor Actuele Kunst in Hasselt. Daarnaast heeft ze als gastcurator gewerkt voor andere organisaties, waaronder Stroom in Den Haag en De Brakke Grond in Amsterdam.
Haar liefde voor literatuur speelt een centrale rol in zowel haar curatorschap als haar schrijven. Hoewel haar teksten meestal rechtstreeks verband houden met de tentoonstellingen die ze organiseert, verschijnen ze ook in kunstcatalogi, vakpublicaties en kunstmagazines. Verschooren is actief betrokken bij diverse commissies, jury’s, raden en platforms binnen de beeldende kunst in België. Haar inzet draagt bij aan een bloeiende kunstscene, zowel in eigen land als internationaal.
Ze behaalde drie masterdiploma’s: Master in de Communicatiewetenschappen – Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (2004), Master in de Cultuurwetenschappen – Vrije Universiteit Brussel (2005), Master of Science in Comparative Media Studies – Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Verenigde Staten (2007).
EN
Karen Verschooren is a contemporary art curator based in Belgium. As Head of Exhibitions at STUK Arts Centre, Leuven (BE) she curates both solo exhibitions as well as a yearly concept-driven group exhibition and festival called Artefact. She is fascinated by artistic work that draws her in on a sensorial and emotional level whilst feeding her intellectually as well, and has a particular affinity for Artists’ Moving Image.
In recent years, she has had the pleasure of working together on solo exhibitions with a.o. Elisabeth Subrin (2026); Saodat Ismailova (2025); Raven Chacon (2024); Liz Magic Laser (2023); Ben Rivers (2023); Helen Cammock (2021); Angela Washko (2021); Mircea Cantor (2020); Sebastián Díaz Morales (2019); Mika Taanila (2018); Nevin Aladağ (2018); Omer Fast (2017); Joachim Koester (2017); Emre Hüner (2016); John Akomfrah (2016); Bjørn Melhus (2015). Curated group exhibitions include Grind Grind Grind, Release. An Exhibition as a Massage (2026); At the still point of the turning world (2024); The Ecstatic Being (2023); Wired for Empathy (2021); AND& — Look at Us Now (2021); Alone Together (2020); This Rare Earth — Stories from Below (2018); On Alchemy and Magic (2017); The Act of Magic (2017) and Up in the Air (2016).
From 2008 to 2015, she was curator at Z33, House for contemporary art, Hasselt (BE). On occasion, she has leaped out to guest curate exhibitions for other organisations, including Stroom, Den Haag & De Brakke Grond, Amsterdam.
Her love for literature strongly influences her curatorial practice and her writings alike. Though mostly directly related to the curated exhibitions, her writings at times also find their way into art catalogues, field publications and art magazines.
Verschooren is an active member on a variety of committees, jury’s, boards and platforms within the visual arts in Belgium, contributing to a flourishing visual arts scene at home and abroad.
She holds a Master degree in Communication Sciences from the Catholic University of Leuven (2004), a Master degree in Cultural Sciences from the Free University of Brussels (2005) and a Master of Science in Comparative Media Studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge USA (2007).