Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Should MOCA Split the Director's Position Between Two People - at Least on a Trial Basis?

With Tyler Green announcing Ann Goldstein's resignation - effective December 1st - from Stedelijk, that clearly puts her at the head of the list as a possible new director for MOCA.
Stedelijk announces director Ann Goldstein's resignation, effective Dec. 1. Sure to kick off much speculation about a return to MOCA.
William Poundstone over at Los Angeles County Museum on Fire instantly pounced on the subject.
photo courtsey of William Poundstone's  Los Angeles County Museum on Fire Blog

Ann Goldstein-MOCA Speculation


Ann Goldstein has resigned as director of Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum, effective Dec. 1. As Tyler Green points out, this is sure to raise speculation about a return to MOCA.
Goldstein was born in Los Angeles and worked at MOCA for 26 years(!), assuming the post of senior curator from 2001 to 2009. The Stedelijk press release says “Ms. Goldstein indicated that her work at the Stedelijk Museum is now done and that the museum is poised for a new Artistic Director to lead it into the future.” That’s the usual press release language that doesn’t really say anything. Needless to say, MOCA is looking for a director (as is the Hirshhorn for that matter).
My initial reactions:
Well, for his initial reactions - you will have to go to his blog. 

But here is what I posted in his comments section:

Brilliant idea, with one caveat. MOCA should also appoint a co-director in charge of fund raising and in charge of handling some of the more ‘keeping the trains running on time’ aspects of running a museum.
And this person should report to Ann.  And Ann, of course, would still  be charged with spending a serious portion of her time fund raising.
 Now while this might – or might not be – the best long term solution, I don’t know.
But I do know that finding a brilliant director and a brilliant fund raiser in one person in this short a period of time is... simply not gonna happen.
 So why not try the splitting the position - but only for a specified period of time - to see if it works?
And my one final thought since then is that Ann Goldstein - despite an already long and distinguished career - 26 years just at MOCA - is still in the prime of her life having just reached her mid-50's.  But she is also just old enough to want to start to find and groom candidates to eventually replace her when she feels she wants to move on to new challenges.

No comments: