After an extensive half-year search, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation has named Mariët Westermann as its new director and chief executive, effective June 1, 2024. Currently serving as the vice chancellor at New York University’s Abu Dhabi campus, Westermann will be the first woman to assume this leadership role at the Guggenheim. She will oversee both the New York museum and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, working in collaboration with leaders from the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and the upcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
A specialist in Netherlandish art and a former executive vice president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Westermann succeeds Richard Armstrong, who announced his resignation following a turbulent 14-year tenure. The museum is still in the process of mending its reputation after the departure of Artistic Director and Chief Curator Nancy Spector in October 2020 amid allegations of systemic racism, which were not substantiated by an independent investigation. Spector was succeeded by Naomi Beckwith.
Westermann’s arrival coincides with the ongoing development of the contentious Abu Dhabi museum. The Frank Gehry-designed project, initially unveiled in 2006, has faced criticism over alleged labor abuses, including claims of inadequate compensation and substandard living conditions for migrant workers. The museum has yet to announce an opening date, and no completion timeline has been confirmed by the Guggenheim.
This leadership change follows the recent ratification of the first contract for the newly unionized staff at the New York museum, concluding two years of intense negotiations that scrutinized the institution’s labor practices. Due to financial pressures exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the museum reduced its workforce by 11% and reportedly reduced salaries for a quarter of its senior staff, though a Hyperallergic report revealed that Armstrong’s compensation was still $1.5 million in 2021, even after a 25% cut. This summer, the museum increased admission fees to $30, aligning with other major institutions like MoMA and the Whitney Museum of American Art.
The Guggenheim and Westermann have yet to address inquiries from Hyperallergic concerning their strategy for supporting unionized employees and the ongoing issues linked to the Abu Dhabi project.
