On Monday, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation made a significant announcement, revealing Mariët Westermann as the newly appointed director and chief executive of its museum group. Westermann, currently serving as the vice chancellor of N.Y.U. Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, will make history as the first woman to lead the museum group. In her new role, she will oversee the Foundation along with its main institution in New York, as well as its international branches in Venice, Bilbao, and the forthcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
J. Tomilson Hill, the museum’s chairman, expressed confidence in Westermann’s ability to lead, noting her experience in managing a substantial operation abroad. He highlighted her strong standing in the art world and her capacity to attract and retain top-tier curators and professionals.
Notably, Hilla Rebay, one of the museum’s founders, was the only other female leader in its history. She co-directed the Museum of Non-Objective Painting, a precursor to the Guggenheim, before departing in 1952, and the Guggenheim itself was constructed in 1959.
The selection of Westermann, at 61, to succeed the retired director Richard Armstrong comes as a surprise, as she lacks a traditional background as a museum director, and her name is not commonly found on lists of potential candidates. Nevertheless, Westermann is well-known in the art community. Her past roles include executive vice president at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, a supporter of cultural institutions; former director of N.Y.U.’s Institute of Fine Arts, which trains art historians, curators, and future museum directors; and associate director of research at the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Mass. Since 2019, she has served as vice chancellor at N.Y.U. Abu Dhabi, concurrently holding the positions of chief executive and professor of arts and humanities.
