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Guggenheim Taps Curator as New Chief

Pittsburgh's Armstrong heralds new direction for museum

By Jason Farago, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 24, 2008 10:24 AM CDT

(Newser) – The Guggenheim Foundation has chosen Richard Armstrong, the head of the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, as the museum's new director. He succeeds Thomas Krens, who established the Guggenheim as a global brand with branches in Europe and more planned in Asia and the Middle East. But Krens' commercialism and expansionist ambitions antagonized many in the art world, not to speak of donors, and the choice of Armstrong seems to herald a new direction.

Armstrong, whose decades of experience include a long stint at the Whitney Museum, told the New York Times it was "unlikely" that he would continue with the exhibitions of motorcycles or fashion that drew so much ire during the Krens era. He added that a top priority would be using the Web to lure more young audiences: "We've got a generation that knows all about Paris Hilton but nothing about Paris."

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Work by the artist Cai Guo-qiang at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. The Guggenheim Foundation has chosen Richard Armstrong, from the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, as its new director. (AP Photo)

The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. The Guggenheim Foundation has chosen Richard Armstrong, from the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, as its new director. (AP Photo/Javier Bauluz, Files)

The Guggenheim Museum in New York. The Guggenheim Foundation has chosen Richard Armstrong, from the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, as its new director. ((c) Larsz)

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Do we want another maverick who puts their stamp on the museum, or a seasoned expert who is a wise adult and who would put the needs of the institution and the staff first? - Jennifer Blei Stockman, president of the Guggenheim’s board

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Guggenheim Taps Curator as New Chief