Artists Who Resigned From MOCA's Board Under Deitch Join Search for New Director

The artists return.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Last July, Ed Ruschawas the last artist standing on MOCA's board after opposition to then-director Jeffrey Deitch caused a mass departure from all other artist members of the board, including John Baldessari, Barbara Kruger, and Catherine Opie. By July 17th, Ruscha had also jumped ship, committing to three years on the SFMOMA board.

Now, all four former board members are being called upon to help replace Deitch who resigned as Director of MOCA in July

"Pertinent qualities [for a new director] would be fundraising, experience in how a museum operates, and most importantly, vast curatorial skill," Baldessari wrote to the Los Angeles Times in an email. "It would be a real opportunity to whoever is appointed, because there's nowhere to go but up."

By involving the artists, MOCA may be able to avoid another Deitch disaster. Back when he was chosen lead the museum, no artists were asked about the decision. Along with Ruscha, Baldessari, Kruger, and Opie, the decision committee will include eight members of MOCA's board, former Los Angeles City Councilman Joel Wachs, and Maria Seferian, the head of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts in New York.

The museum has also called upon Phillips Oppenheim, an organization that helps with non-profit leadership, to help oversee the search for a new director. 

While the four Los Angeles artists are back for the time being, no artists sit on MOCA's board at the moment.

RELATED: 10 Unexpected Reactions to Jeffrey Deitch Leaving MOCA

[via Los Angeles Times]

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