The Metropolitan Museum of Art has appointed Oluremi C. Onabanjo as its new curator of photographs, bringing her expertise in African and Black diasporic histories from MoMA. This announcement leads a series of industry shifts, including Melissa Chiu’s move from the Hirshhorn to direct the Guggenheim, and the relocation of the influential gallery 47 Canal to Chelsea. Additionally, the New York Foundation for the Arts distributed nearly $500,000 in grants to 129 artists and organizations in Queens.
These developments signal a period of significant leadership transition within major American museums and a geographic consolidation of the New York gallery scene. Onabanjo’s appointment reflects a continued institutional focus on diversifying photographic histories, while the Queens Arts Fund highlights the vital role of localized municipal support for community-based ecological and cultural projects.