The only constant in the art world is change, whether it’s artwork changing hands, pieces breaking auction records or people moving from one institution to another. What follows are some of the most notable role changes recently announced across the art sphere.
Ingrid Schaffner joins Hauser & Wirth as Curatorial Senior Director
Curator and art critic Ingrid Schaffner is leaving the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, Texas to join Hauser & Wirth on the West Coast, where she will be responsible for organizing exhibitions at Hauser & Wirth Downtown Los Angeles and editing the gallery’s art magazine, Ursula. “We’re thrilled that Ingrid is joining Hauser & Wirth as Curatorial Senior Director, bringing her experience and expertise as a curator and writer, her noted talent for collaborating closely with artists, and her very special sensibility to the gallery,” said Stacen Berg, the gallery’s executive director, in a statement.
Prior to joining the Chinati Foundation in 2020, Schaffner directed curatorial programming at the Institute of Contemporary Arts Philadelphia in several roles over fifteen years. In 2018, she was curator for the 57th Carnegie International. Her criticism has appeared in Artforum, Frieze and in other publications, and she has authored more than twenty books, including Salvador Dali’s Dream of Venus and The Essential Andy Warhol. “Sensitivity to the surrounding is paramount, whether curating at a traditional white cube or in response to Texan landscape,” Schaffner told Observer in 2020.
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Sir Mark Jones appointed British Museum Interim Director
Following the unexpected resignation of Hartwig Fischer, Sir Mark Jones will step into the role of Interim Director after receiving unanimous support of the institution’s Board of Trustees and approval by the government. “This is a critical moment for the British Museum, and I cannot think of anyone better placed to help take us forward than Sir Mark Jones,” said Chair of Trustees, George Osborne, in a statement.
Sir Jones was director of the National Museums of Scotland before leaving the position to become director of the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A). Earlier in his career, he was an assistant keeper of coins and medals at the British Museum before advancing into the keeper role. In 2012, he opened the Golden Hare, a bookshop, in Edinburgh.
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Tate Appoints Adjunct Curators Marleen Boschen and Kimberley Moulton
This month, curator and artist Marleen Boschen will become Tate’s first Adjunct Curator specializing in art and ecology. Her position, according to a statement released by the institution, will “develop narratives around ecological issues and further Tate’s commitment to climate justice.” Concurrently, Kimberley Moulton will become the institution’s Adjunct Curator specializing in First Nations and Indigenous Art.
“Their significant experience and expertise will play an important part in expanding both our knowledge of First Nations and Indigenous Art, and the intersection between art and ecology, as well as advancing our ambition to present a truly international story of art through our programme and collection,” said Catherine Wood, Tate Modern’s Director of Programme, in a statement.
Jiyoung Lee appointed Gagosian’s first full-time director in South Korea
Gallerist Jiyoung Lee, previously a director at Sprüth Magers, joins Gagosian ahead of the 2023 edition of Frieze Seoul to head up the mega-gallery’s operations in South Korea. While there are no concrete plans to open a Gagosian outpost in the country, the gallery’s head of operations in Asia, Nick Simunovic, told Artnet News that “all options are on the table.”
“Her appointment builds on the gallery’s establishment of a business entity in Korea last year, and provides for expanded activities in the region,” Gagosian wrote in its announcement of Lee’s appointment. She will bring fifteen years of experience working for Korean and international galleries in Seoul to the role.
Didier Fusillier appointed Director of Grand Palais
Succeeding Chris Dercon, Didier Fusillier has been appointed director of the Grand Palais des Champs-Elysées—the exhibition complex that hosts Paris+ par Art Basel. His responsibilities will include overseeing restoration work in advance of the 2024 Olympics and Paralympic Games, leading a strategic partnership with the Centre Pompidou during upcoming renovations and finding ways to attract new audiences.
Fusillier’s career has been defined by initiatives that bring culture to broader audiences. He has served as director of the Maison des arts de Créteil (MAC), was president of the Établissement public du Parc et de la Grande Halle de La Villette and oversaw Lille’s European Capital of Culture project, Lille 3000. Fusillier has also launched several cultural festivals and is known as the inventor of ‘micro-folies’—sites that bring the arts to audiences far from cultural hubs.
Aziz Isham appointed Director of the Museum of the Moving Image
Film producer and arts nonprofit leader Aziz Isham will take over as MoMI’s director, succeeding Carl Goodman, on October 1. “With his impressive background and diverse set of skills, Aziz emerged as the most capable, energetic, and enthusiastic candidate, and we are truly delighted to have him join the MoMI team,” said MoMI Co-Chair Ivan Lustig in a statement.
Most recently, Isham, a New York City native and Yale graduate, served as the executive director of the Twenty Summers festival and was the founding Executive Producer of the community network BRIC TV. He has produced more than forty feature films, documentaries and shows, and has won six NY Emmy Awards for his documentary work. He currently teaches showrunning and social justice filmmaking at the Barry R. Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema.
