Gallery appoints co-directors
Six months after the sudden resignation of former GovettBrewster director Simon Rees, two new co-directors have been appointed to direct New Plymouth’s nationally renowned gallery.
Aileen Burns and Johan Lundh will be the co-directors of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre from March 2019. The duo will job share, which is the equivalent to one salary.
Burns and Lundh – a couple originally from Canada and Sweden respectively – will come to New Plymouth from Brisbane, where they have co-directed the Institute of Modern Art since January 2014.
They previously co-directed the Centre for Contemporary Art in Derry-Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
‘‘We have followed its programme for many years and been impressed with this ambitious organisation,’’ Burns and Lundh said in a statement. ‘‘We share a passion for the artist-centred spirit of the Govett-Brewster and look forward to furthering its development, achievements and reputation.’’
The gallery has long been criticised for its sparsity but acting director Colleen Mullin had started turning the gallery around after Rees vacated the position suddenly in May.
Burns has a Masters in Arts in Modern Art from Columbia University in New York and a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Art History and Cinema from the University of Toronto.
Lundh holds both a Masters and Bachelor of Arts from Konstfack University in Stockholm. Both have long histories of writing, researching and curating around the world.
NPDC chief operating officer Kelvin Wright said the ‘‘dynamic duo’’ had proven international experience.
Interview panellist and chief executive of Taranaki Iwi, Wharehoka Wano, said the duo brought high levels of creative and technical skill.
‘‘Aileen and Johan bring with them experiences from their previous roles in Londonderry/ Derry, Northern Ireland and Brisbane, Queensland, including working closely with aboriginal communities to add the indigenous voice and stories from those communities to the contemporary gallery setting,’’ he said.