Joan Grandjean is an art historian specialising in contemporary art from the Arab world. He earned his PhD from the University of Geneva, Switzerland, focusing on "Arab futurities" in contemporary art. His work explores how artists from the region envision and construct imagined futures through their work.
From 2017 to 2024, Grandjean served as an academic assistant at the University of Geneva before becoming a lecturer at the University of Rennes 2, France. His research examines the intersections of contemporary art, globalisation, and speculative imaginaries.
His notable publications include co-editing the double issue Photography and Politics for the journal Tumultes (2024) and the exhibition catalogue Arabofuturs: Science Fiction and New Imaginaries (Institut du monde Arabe, Paris, 2024). He is completing a book on Arab and Iranian artwork donations to the United Nations with Alexandre Kazerouni and Silvia Naef. He actively participates in ARVIMM and co-founded the Manazir platform.