This week's industry moves roundup from ARTnews includes several notable appointments and gallery changes. Makeda Best has been named Chief Curator of Photography at MoMA, coming from the Oakland Museum of California. Dawn Airey was appointed Chair of Arts Council England, the UK's primary public arts funding body. Artist Rana Begum has joined Lehmann Maupin, with her debut at Art Basel in June and a solo show in New York in September. Freeman's appointed Muys Snijders as CEO, an auction and art advisory veteran with over 25 years of experience. Additionally, Experimenter announced the tenth round of grantees for its Generator Cooperative Art Production Fund, and a work by a follower of Hieronymus Bosch sold for $537,000 at Sotheby's, more than ten times its high estimate.
These moves matter because they signal shifts in leadership at major institutions and galleries, reflecting broader trends in the art world. Makeda Best's appointment fills a long-vacant role at MoMA, potentially reshaping the museum's photography program. Dawn Airey's leadership at Arts Council England will influence public arts funding across the UK. Rana Begum's representation by Lehmann Maupin highlights the continued interest in geometric abstraction and the importance of Art Basel as a launching point. The strong sale of a Bosch follower at Sotheby's underscores a renewed collector interest in Old Master works with established market histories.