Prof. Dr. David Usieto · Dubai, UAE
Where Heritage
Where Heritage
Meets the
Contemporary
Curator, cultural strategist, and art historian operating at the intersection of contemporary art, luxury, and cultural innovation — across the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.
About
A Practice
Built at the
Crossroads
12+
Years of international experience across museums, cultural institutions, and luxury houses.
3
Continents — Middle East, Europe, and Asia — where active curatorial and advisory work is ongoing.
PhD
European Doctorate with Distinction in Near Eastern Art & Archaeology, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz.
Prof. Dr. Usieto’s practice centers on building bridges between East and West — activating heritage through contemporary frameworks, and shaping new models for art, luxury, and cultural exchange.
As co-founder of GUTs Art Hub, he directs a cross-regional cultural consultancy and incubator specialised in advisory for museum creation, institutional cultural strategy, cultural diplomacy, and related creative frameworks — with active engagements across the GCC and Asia.
His curatorial work has spanned major luxury heritage projects with different luxury maisons, the long-form platform Hidden Statements at NKW supporting Afghan artists through digital and physical programming, and cultural strategy contributions to the Masaveu Collection in Madrid.
Alongside institutional work, he advises private collectors and cultural stakeholders on acquisition strategy, exhibition development, and narrative positioning — with a consistent focus on where cultural value and market intelligence converge.
Areas of Expertise
01
Curatorial Direction
End-to-end curatorial strategy for exhibitions, platforms, and institutional programmes — from concept development to public narrative. Experience across luxury heritage, contemporary art, and archaeological collections.
02
Cultural & Institutional Strategy
Advisory for museums, cultural institutions, and luxury houses on programming vision, audience engagement, diplomatic positioning, and long-range cultural identity — with particular focus on the GCC and cross-cultural exchange.
03
Art & Luxury Advisory
Specialist appraisal, acquisition strategy, and collection narrative for private collectors and institutions. Deep expertise in Near Eastern art, jewelry heritage, Old Masters, and contemporary works across major auction houses and private collections.
Current Roles
L’École Van Cleef & Arpels
Professor — Middle East
Lectures on jewelry, heritage, and visual culture. Leads institutional programming and cross-campus academic collaborations. Active
Lectures on jewelry, heritage, and visual culture. Leads institutional programming and cross-campus academic collaborations. Active
GUTs Art Hub
Co-Founder & CEO
Cross-regional cultural consultancy specialised in advisory for museum creation, institutional cultural strategy, cultural diplomacy, and related creative frameworks across the GCC and Asia. Active
Cross-regional cultural consultancy specialised in advisory for museum creation, institutional cultural strategy, cultural diplomacy, and related creative frameworks across the GCC and Asia. Active
Dubai Institute of People
Chief Art Officer
Strategic cultural leadership within an institutional framework focused on human-centred development in the UAE. Active
Strategic cultural leadership within an institutional framework focused on human-centred development in the UAE. Active
Auction Houses & Private Institutions
Senior Consultant & Specialist Appraiser
Expert appraisals and strategic advisory across Near Eastern art, Old Masters, jewelry, ethnographic artifacts, and contemporary works for private clients and collectors globally. Active
Expert appraisals and strategic advisory across Near Eastern art, Old Masters, jewelry, ethnographic artifacts, and contemporary works for private clients and collectors globally. Active
GQ Middle East · Harper’s Bazaar Arabia · ELLE Arabia
Contributing Writer
Editorial coverage at the intersection of art, culture, and luxury for the region’s leading publications. Ongoing
Editorial coverage at the intersection of art, culture, and luxury for the region’s leading publications. Ongoing
Geographic Reach
A Practice
Without
Borders Operating simultaneously across three continents, Prof. Dr. Usieto maintains active professional engagements in the Gulf, Asia, and Europe — bringing cross-cultural fluency to every project.
Without
Borders Operating simultaneously across three continents, Prof. Dr. Usieto maintains active professional engagements in the Gulf, Asia, and Europe — bringing cross-cultural fluency to every project.
Middle East
Dubai · Abu Dhabi
Riyadh · Doha Primary base. Institutional, advisory, and curatorial work.
Riyadh · Doha Primary base. Institutional, advisory, and curatorial work.
Asia
Hong Kong
East & Southeast Asia Gallery development, exhibition programming, and collector advisory.
East & Southeast Asia Gallery development, exhibition programming, and collector advisory.
Europe
Paris · Tenerife
Menorca Institutional collaborations, academic partnerships, and collection work.
Menorca Institutional collaborations, academic partnerships, and collection work.
Publishing & Media
GQ · Harper’s Bazaar
ELLE Arabia Editorial contributions at the intersection of art, culture, and luxury.
ELLE Arabia Editorial contributions at the intersection of art, culture, and luxury.
Selected Projects
Exhibition Platform · Curatorial Direction
Hidden Statements at NKW
Led both digital and physical programming for this long-form platform, creating sustained visibility and critical frameworks for Afghan artists at a moment of acute geopolitical urgency. A model for how contemporary art institutions can activate heritage and diaspora narratives simultaneously.
Curatorial Direction · Ongoing
International Exhibition Projects
Ongoing development of curatorial projects across international venues — spanning critical recontextualisations of historical works, cross-cultural dialogues, and new frameworks for presenting art across geographies. Further details available upon enquiry.
Luxury Heritage · Curatorial
Luxury Maison Heritage Projects
Curatorial and academic contributions to major luxury heritage programming for international luxury houses — spanning exhibition development, institutional education initiatives, and cross-campus collaborations across Europe and the Middle East.
Institutional Strategy · Collection
Masaveu Collection, Madrid
Cultural strategy and curatorial contributions to one of Spain’s most significant private collections — bridging historical legacy with contemporary relevance and European institutional dialogue.
Publication · 2024
Routledge Monograph
Published monograph through Routledge in 2024 — contributing to academic literature on Near Eastern art and cultural heritage with the rigour of a European doctorate and the perspective of active field practice.
Public Programming · Media
Lectures & Public Appearances
Public lectures and collaborative appearances with Louvre Abu Dhabi, Harper’s Bazaar Arabia, Dubai Watch Week, and Sharjah Art Foundation. Ongoing contribution to regional cultural discourse.
Contact
Let’s Build
Something
Significant Available for curatorial commissions, institutional advisory, collection consultancy, editorial contributions, and speaking engagements across the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.
Something
Significant Available for curatorial commissions, institutional advisory, collection consultancy, editorial contributions, and speaking engagements across the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.
Based in Dubai, UAE · Active globally
“Building bridges between East and West — activating heritage through contemporary frameworks, and shaping new models for art, luxury, and cultural exchange.” Prof. Dr. David Usieto
Academic Credentials
European Doctorate with Distinction in Near Eastern Art & Archaeology
Secondary Specialisation: Curatorial Direction
Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
13+ years international practice
Secondary Specialisation: Curatorial Direction
Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
13+ years international practice