Defne Ayas (born 1976) is a recognized curator, educator, and publisher working at the intersection of contemporary art, performance, and politics. Ayas is known for conceiving daring exhibition and biennale formats within diverse geographies, in each instance composing collaborative contexts and interdisciplinary frameworks that also provide historical anchoring and engagement with local conditions. Ayas has worked at and with many institutions across the world, including in the Netherlands, China, United States, Italy, and Russia. Currently, Ayas is the Artistic Director of 2020 Gwangju Biennale, together with Natasha Ginwala. She also serves as a curator at large at V-A-C Foundation in Moscow. She was the director of the Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art in Rotterdam (2012-2017)