timo kappeller joins pace gallery senior director 1234770176

Timo Kappeller has joined Pace Gallery as a senior director in New York, focusing on sales and artist relationships, starting January 20. He arrives from The Campus, a collaborative exhibition space in upstate New York, and previously held senior roles at Hauser & Wirth and Andrew Kreps, with early career experience at Documenta and KW Institute for Contemporary Art in Berlin. His hiring follows several high-profile departures from Pace, including senior vice president Jessie Washburne-Harris to White Cube and artist Yoshitomo Nara to David Zwirner.

philipp kaiser leaves marian goodman gallery 1234739917

Philipp Kaiser is leaving Marian Goodman Gallery after more than six years, with his last day on May 2. He will remain as a curatorial consultant as needed. The gallery cited the recent Los Angeles wildfires as a factor in his decision to return to independent curatorial practice. Kaiser joined in 2019, a surprising move given his museum background, and became president and partner in 2021 when founder Marian Goodman stepped back. During his tenure, the gallery opened new spaces in New York and Los Angeles, but also lost major artists Gerhard Richter, Nan Goldin, and William Kentridge to rival galleries.

Guillaume Cerutti Departs Pinault Collection, Rediscovered Napoleon Hat on View, and More: Morning Links for March 27, 2026

Guillaume Cerutti has been dismissed from his role as president of the Pinault Collection, the vast private art collection of French billionaire François Pinault, after only 13 months in the position. The departure is sudden and unexplained, with the 89-year-old Pinault reportedly set to assume the duties himself. Separately, a long-forgotten bicorn hat belonging to Napoleon Bonaparte has been rediscovered in storage and will be displayed at the Musée Condé in France.

liz munsell vice president curatorial powerhouse arts 1234777740

Powerhouse Arts, a nonprofit creative production facility in Brooklyn’s Gowanus neighborhood, has appointed Liz Munsell as its new Vice President of Curatorial and Arts Programs. Munsell, who previously held senior curatorial roles at the Jewish Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, succeeds Diya Vij following Vij's appointment as New York City’s cultural affairs commissioner. Alongside Munsell, the organization hired Constanza Valenzuela, formerly of High Line Art, as associate curator to support the expansion of its exhibition and residency programs.

nick cave bob faust interview 1234772832

Artist Nick Cave and his partner Bob Faust have transformed an abandoned Chicago textile factory into a vast live-work-gallery complex called Facility. The space houses their apartment, studios for themselves and ten assistants, and a street-facing gallery for emerging artists. Cave is preparing for a major exhibition, "Mammoth," at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, while also working on large-scale public commissions, including a sculpture for Princeton University Art Museum and a collaborative installation for the Obama Presidential Center.

consultant gulf gold rush south arts new ceo 1234766112

This week's art industry moves include South Arts appointing Doug Shipman as its next president and CEO, departing his role as Atlanta City Council president to lead the regional nonprofit across nine Southern states. London gallery Alison Jacques now represents Cape Town–born painter Gina Kuschke, with a debut solo exhibition opening January 15. Gallery Wendi Norris in San Francisco will represent the Marie Wilson estate, while Berlin's Galerie Judin adds Jorinde Voigt to its roster in partnership with David Nolan, Dirimart, and Sicardi | Ayers | Bacino. Thaddaeus Ropac appoints John Utterson as director in London, and Aperture secures $2 million in gifts toward its new permanent home. A record $31.4 million was paid for François-Xavier Lalanne's 'Hippopotame Bar' at Sotheby's New York, tripling its high estimate. The article also notes a growing trend of consultancies—mostly US- and European-based—being hired to help the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia build their cultural sectors.

10 Power Players in Paris

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The inaugural edition of Paris+ by Art Basel has opened in Paris, marking a significant shift in the city's art fair landscape. The article profiles ten key figures instrumental in shaping the French art market, including fair director Clément Delépine, dealer and committee president Marion Papillon, and institutional leaders like Suzanne Pagé of the Fondation Louis Vuitton and Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel of Lafayette Anticipations.

Venice Biennale’s 2026 Golden Lion Jury to Be Led by Videobrasil Founder

The Venice Biennale has announced the five-member jury for its 2026 edition, which will award the prestigious Golden Lion prizes. The jury president is Solange Oliveira Farkas, founder of the Videobrasil Biennial, and she will be joined by curators and academics Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi.

lauren haynes appointed executive director atlanta contemporary 1234772993

Lauren Haynes has been appointed as the new executive director of Atlanta Contemporary, effective March 16. She succeeds interim director Everett Long, who assumed the role last summer after Floyd Hall's resignation. Haynes joins from the Trust for Governors Island, where she served as vice president of arts & culture and head curator, and brings extensive experience from institutions including the Queens Museum, the Nasher Museum, Crystal Bridges, and the Studio Museum in Harlem.

creative time appoints jean cooney executive director 1234769371

Creative Time, a New York-based nonprofit known for large-scale public art, has appointed Jean Cooney as its executive director. Cooney previously served as vice president of arts and culture at the Times Square Alliance and director of Times Square Arts since 2019, and before that spent seven years at Creative Time, rising to deputy director. She worked on major projects including Kara Walker's 'A Subtlety' at the Domino Sugar Factory. Cooney succeeds Justine Ludwig, who stepped down in September to join PST ART as inaugural creative director. Cooney begins her role on February 23, and the organization will celebrate her return at its annual spring gala on April 28.

wadsworth atheneum president allison blais 1234761174

The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford, Connecticut, has appointed Allison Blais as its new president and CEO, effective January 2026. Blais, currently executive vice president and chief strategy and operations officer at New York’s 9/11 Memorial & Museum, will succeed Jeffrey N. Brown, who held the role for five years. The announcement was made by board chair Duffield Ashmead IV MD, who praised Blais's experience with large-scale capital projects and stakeholder engagement. Blais, a Connecticut native, expressed her long familiarity with the Wadsworth and her enthusiasm for working with museum director Matthew Hargraves.

joan weinstein vice president getty wide program planning 1234756895

The Getty has appointed Joan Weinstein, current director of the Getty Foundation, to the newly created role of vice president for Getty-wide program planning. Weinstein will continue as foundation director until a successor is named, and in her new position she will develop strategy across the institution’s four divisions: the Museum, Research Institute, Conservation Institute, and Foundation, focusing on art historical scholarship and community partnerships. She is best known for co-directing PST ART, a major Southern California cultural collaboration, and has overseen significant relief funds for artists affected by wildfires and the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Kim Sajet, former director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery (NPG), has been appointed as the new director of the Milwaukee Art Museum, starting September 22. She left the NPG in June after a high-profile clash with President Donald Trump over diversity initiatives and funding. Sajet brings extensive experience from museums in the Netherlands and Australia, and during her 12-year tenure at the NPG, she doubled attendance and raised $85 million. She replaces Marcelle Polednik, who departed in May after nine years.

148 News Roundup: Career Moves, Infrastructure, Controversies, Public Domain

Curator and writer Reuben Keehan has been appointed artistic director of the forthcoming Kontempo – Center for Contemporary Art in Manila, a new institution developed by the Ayala Foundation. Keehan will relocate from Australia, ending his 15-year tenure as curator of contemporary art at Brisbane’s Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. In other career moves, Manuel Rabaté has become CEO and director of New Delhi’s Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, bringing over 25 years of museum leadership including his previous role as inaugural director of Louvre Abu Dhabi. Additionally, the Kochi Biennale Foundation has named board member and Mumbai-based artist Jitish Kallat as president of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, succeeding Bose Krishnamachari who resigned in January.

art world joe rogan onx expands and more industry moves 1234761632

This week's art industry moves include Allison Blais being named President and CEO of the Wadsworth Atheneum, succeeding Jeffrey N. Brown. The Onassis Foundation's ONX art-and-tech hub is expanding with a new Tribeca space opening in January 2026, debuting with the exhibition "TECHNE: Homecoming." Other appointments include Frank Lord joining Withers as senior counsel, Matthew Stavro becoming Senior Specialist at Freeman's, and Madeline Cornell as Sales Director at Morgan Presents. Galleries announced new artist representations: Anthony Meier and von Bartha jointly represent the estate of Barbara Stauffacher Solomon, Jessica Silverman now represents Lava Thomas, Kendall Koppe represents Michael Bühler-Rose, and David Kordansky Gallery takes on Tristan Unrau. The Spector Craft Prize launches with Crystal Bridges Museum partnership. A blue diamond pendant known as the Mellon Blue sold at Christie's for $25 million, a 22% drop from its previous sale. The New York Times explores whether artist-podcaster Joshua Citarella could be the "Joe Rogan of the left."

jean paul engelen joins acquavella galleries 1234742601

Jean-Paul Engelen, currently president for the Americas and worldwide co-head of modern and contemporary art at Phillips auction house, will join Acquavella Galleries as a director starting July 1. Engelen spent a decade at Phillips, where he helped increase auction sales by 72 percent between 2015 and 2021, and previously worked at Christie’s for 16 years and at Qatar Museums.

pennsylvania academy of the fine arts kristen shepherd 1234770560

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) has appointed Kristen Shepherd as its new president and CEO, effective February 9. Shepherd, 54, previously served as executive director and CEO of the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, Florida, and held leadership roles at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum in New York, and Sotheby’s in New York and London. She also runs her own consulting firm, Shepherd Lane + Associates. Shepherd takes over at a challenging time for PAFA, which closed its college last May due to rising costs and low enrollment, though it continues to offer K-12 and continuing education programs.

white cube jessie washburne harris global director 1234754713

White Cube has appointed Jessie Washburne-Harris as a global director, based in New York, effective October 2025. She joins from Pace Gallery, where she was senior vice president, and has previously worked at Marian Goodman, Gagosian, Petzel, and Sotheby’s, as well as cofounding Harris Lieberman gallery. The appointment coincides with the second anniversary of White Cube’s permanent New York space, which opened in 2023 in a former bank on the Upper East Side and has hosted exhibitions by Tracey Emin, Theaster Gates, Antony Gormley, and Ilana Savdie.

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James Rondeau, the director and president of the Art Institute of Chicago, will return to work on June 2, 2025, after taking voluntary leave following an incident on a United Airlines flight from Chicago to Munich on April 18. Rondeau was met by police upon landing after reports that he became intoxicated and removed his clothes mid-flight. The museum conducted an independent investigation and expressed confidence in his leadership, with Rondeau stating he regrets the incident and is grateful to continue furthering the museum's mission.

anne claire legendre institut du arabe monde 1234773567

Anne-Claire Legendre, a senior French diplomat and advisor to President Emmanuel Macron, has been selected to lead the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris. Her appointment follows the abrupt resignation of former director Jack Lang and, if confirmed, will make her the first woman to head the institution in its 40-year history.

max carter christies chairman 20th and 21st century art americas 1234751897

Christie’s has appointed Max Carter as chairman of 20th and 21st Century art for the Americas. Carter, a Canadian-American writer and art specialist who joined the auction house in 2007, previously led the Impressionist and modern art department in the Americas from 2017 to 2022. He has overseen major collection consignments from Anne Bass, Paul Allen, S.I. Newhouse, Mica Ertegun, Robert F. Weis and Patricia G. Ross Weis, and Elaine Wynn, and has achieved record prices for artists like Ed Ruscha and Henri Rousseau. Carter will report to Christie’s global president and succeeds in the role as the auction house prepares for its marquee November sales in New York.

New UCCA CEO Kong Lingyi on the Beijing Institution’s Future

Kong Lingyi has been appointed as the new CEO of the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing, succeeding Philip Tinari who stepped down shortly before the Lunar New Year. A veteran of the institution since 2012, Kong previously served as vice president of brand and is now tasked with overseeing UCCA’s multiple branches in Beijing, Beidaihe, and Yixing. Her leadership marks a shift toward a new management structure focused on institutional sustainability and public accessibility.

A new director for the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Une nouvelle directrice pour le Smithsonian American Art Museum

Lynda Roscoe Hartigan, 75, has been appointed director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM), succeeding Stephanie Stebich after a vacancy of nearly 17 months. Hartigan, who began her career at SAAM in the 1970s and rose to chief curator before leaving in 2003, most recently served as executive director of the Peabody Essex Museum, becoming its first woman to lead the institution. She will assume her new role on September 8.

diya vij new york city commissioner of cultural affairs 1234775079

Diya Vij has been appointed as the next commissioner of New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) by Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Vij, who most recently served as vice president of curatorial and arts programmes at Powerhouse Arts, is the first person of South Asian descent to lead the agency. She brings extensive experience from previous roles at Creative Time, the High Line, and a prior five-year tenure within the DCA itself, where she managed public artist residencies and diversity initiatives.

guy wildenstein resigns wildenstein gallery president 1234768335

Guy Wildenstein has resigned as president of Wildenstein & Co., the prestigious art gallery founded by his family in 1875, after 35 years in the role. He is succeeded by his son David Wildenstein, who previously served as vice president overseeing investment and real estate, while his daughter Vanessa Wildenstein becomes vice president and director of the New York location. The announcement was made to the Art Newspaper, which first reported the news. Wildenstein, 80, was convicted of tax fraud in 2024 in a high-profile French case involving the concealment of masterworks to avoid inheritance taxes, receiving a four-year prison sentence with house arrest and a €1 million fine.

christies names alex rotter global president 2638660

Christie’s has promoted Alex Rotter to global president, a new role in which he will retain his existing title as global chairman of 20th- and 21st-century art. Rotter will collaborate with regional presidents and global chairmen to develop strategies for auction and private sales. He joined Christie’s in 2017 after 16 years at Sotheby’s and created the “20/21” department, which unified postwar, contemporary, and Impressionist and modern art sales. Rotter has overseen landmark sales including Jeff Koons’s *Rabbit* (1986) for $91 million, Andy Warhol’s *Shot Sage Blue Marilyn* (1964) for $195 million, and Leonardo da Vinci’s *Salvator Mundi* (ca. 1500) for $450 million.

Profile | Pierre Rosenberg, the former Louvre president, on his long-awaited four-volume Poussin catalogue—and forthcoming museum

Pierre Rosenberg, the 89-year-old honorary president-director of the Louvre, is set to release a definitive four-volume catalogue raisonné of the works of Nicolas Poussin. This monumental publication, weighing eight kilograms, represents over sixty years of scholarship and aims to provide a comprehensive update to the field, addressing previous research by figures such as Anthony Blunt and Louis Marin.

Jitish Kallat appointed Kochi-Muziris Biennale president

The Kochi Biennale Foundation has appointed contemporary artist and curator Jitish Kallat as the new president of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. He will chair the selection committee for the next edition's curator, succeeding co-founder Bose Krishnamachari, who resigned earlier this year.

Embattled Louvre Director Laurence des Cars Resigns

embattled louvre director laurence des cars resigns 2748308

Laurence des Cars has resigned as director of the Louvre Museum following months of intense scrutiny and institutional turmoil. Her departure, accepted by French President Emmanuel Macron, comes in the wake of a massive $102 million jewelry heist in October 2025 that exposed severe security lapses, outdated infrastructure, and systemic management failures. Despite proposing a major security overhaul and a massive modernization project, Des Cars faced mounting pressure from government audits, staff walkouts, and investigations into ticket fraud.

Guillaume Cerutti Out as President of Paris’s Pinault Collection After 13 Months

Guillaume Cerutti has stepped down from his position as President of the Pinault Collection in Paris after only thirteen months. The institution, founded by billionaire François Pinault, has stated it has no plans to replace him or appoint an interim president, signaling a potential restructuring of its leadership.