After having studied history and archaeology in Paris, Emmanuel Kasarhérou returned to New Caledonia. In 1985 he was appointed director of the Museum of New Caledonia which is dedicated to indigenous Kanak culture of New Caledonia and to the Pacific Islands cultures in general. In 1994 he joined the Agency for the Development of Kanak Culture as cultural director in charge of the Tjibaou cultural centre project. Designed by Renzo Piano, the Tjibaou cultural centre opened in 1998. It operates in the fields of contemporary and performing arts from the Pacific, and it is engaged in the research and collection of tangible and intangible indigenous heritage. From 2006 to 2011 Emmanuel Kasarhérou was general manager of the Tjibaou cultural centre.

In 2011, he joined the musée du quai Branly in Paris where he organized the exhibition “Kanak. L’art est une parole " in 2013. In 2014 he became senior curator and deputy director of the heritage and collections department. In May 2020, Emmanuel Kasarhérou was appointed President of the Établissement public du musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac.

Languages spoken: French and English

Photo credit: ©musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, photo Thibaut Chapotot