Longtime associate Massimiliano Gioni will now lead New York-based New Museum, after Lisa Phillips stepped down.
The New Museum of Contemporary Art was founded in 1977 by Marcia Tucker. Like its name, its core value hinged on introducing new artists and ideas to the world. Over the years, it exhibited budding artists not just in the US, but also from Argentina, Brazil, Germany, India, Turkey, the UK, and many others. It moved to its current location at 235 Bowery in Manhattan in 2007.
One of the defining features of the New Museum has been its stable leadership. Since its inception almost half a century ago, it has had only two directors. Its founder, Marcia Tucker, ran the museum until 1999. She was succeeded by Lisa Phillips, who led the museum for 26 years until announcing her retirement in September of last year. Gioni will be the director in the museum’s history, and the first man to helm this position.
Massimiliano Gioni joined the New Museum in 2006 as a curator. In 2014, he was promoted to artistic director – a position in which he served until now. Perhaps the biggest achievement of Gioni’s tenure was the launch of the New Museum Triennial in 2009. Massimiliano Gioni has overseen dozens of exhibitions in his tenure, from “After Nature” (2008) to “Grief and Grievance: Art and Mourning in America” (2021). He has also organized dozens of solo exhibitions, including those for Lynda Benglis, Sarah Lucas, and Faith Ringgold.
Also Read: Marlborough Gallery Space Sells For $7.5M
New Museum board chair James-Keith Brown said on his appointment: “After an extensive international search, we are thrilled to announce Massimiliano Gioni’s appointment as steward of the New Museum in its next chapter. Over the past twenty years, he played an essential role in the Museum’s evolution as a leading international destination for contemporary art through the groundbreaking exhibitions he has conceived, institutional partnerships he has built, mentorship he has provided to colleagues, and relationships he has forged across the globe.”
