Kate Falldirector Museum of Modern Art PS1, one of the county’s leading contemporary art museums, said she will be stepping down in less than three years. Her last day will be July 15th.
In an email to museum staff on Friday afternoon art newsFowle did not give a reason for her unexpected departure, other than to say that she would go on to organize the institution’s highly anticipated Daniel Lind-Ramos exhibition, which opens in April 2023.
Fowle said the museum’s interim leadership will include associate curator Jose Ortiz, curatorial affairs director Ruba Katrib and external affairs director Molly Kurzius, as well as museum board chair Sarah Arison and MoMA director Glenn Lowry.
Located in Queens, Long Island City, MoMA PS1 is an affiliate of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Before joining PS1 in 2019, Fowle was the chief curator of the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art in Moscow for six years, where she helped open the building designed by Rem Koolhaas in 2015, launched the Garage Triennial of Russian Contemporary Art, and Known for an innovative exhibition program, including shows for artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Olga Chernysheva, Urs Fischer, Rashid Johnson, Irina Korina, Robert Longo, Anri Sala and Rirkrit Tiravanija.
Fowle took over as director of PS1 in September 2019, a position that was vacant for more than a year after Klaus Biesenbach left to manage the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art. (He later left that position.)
Fowle’s departure from the PS1 was unexpected.One New York Times her profile, Posted in Apriltouting her “priorities as the new leader of the Long Island City institution: strengthening ties with neighbors in West Queens and North Brooklyn, making PS1 a center of community activity through the arts, embracing the museum’s progressive roots, and empowering the institution An identity different from MoMA.”
Just a few weeks ago, PS1 hosted a big party at its former school home in Long Island City for the first time since the pandemic began. Mayor Eric Adams, collector and former MoMA PS1 board chair Agnes Gund, and artists Rashid Johnson and Deanna Lawson attended the gala event.
Another recent departure from PS1 is Hannah Howe, who has been director of development since February 2021, and has since left to become deputy chief development officer for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s personal endowment.
In a message to employees, Faure wrote: “I want you to know that I have deep respect and admiration for all of you and that I am incredibly proud of all the work we have accomplished together. You are the dream team and I Always in awe of the kindness, dedication and care you have shown to each other, to me, and to all the artists we work with and their communities and partners. I’m very much looking forward to seeing how our artist-centric and community-driven vision evolves.”
in a statement sent to art newsArison said: “Kate Fowle is a talented curator and director who has led MoMA PS1 through the tough challenges of the past three years to become a more resilient and financially stable institution. Kate pilots innovations in community engagement patterns, to diversify the uses of the building and its courtyards to connect more deeply with the Queens and New York communities, and to reinforce PS1’s commitment and role as an artist-focused institution. We all have great admiration and respect for Kate– Including her incredible work ethic and artistic vision. We are so grateful for everything she has done for PS1 and her work to shape a bright future for the agency. We hope Kate continues in the next role she chooses Success.”