Here‘s LA MOCA’s official announcement of its acceptance of Eli Broad‘s largess and of its planned reorganization. Here‘s the separate press release about the resignation of director Jeremy Strick.
At last, the (ex-)director Strick Speaks! (via the press release):
It has been an honor leading MOCA for nearly a decade. During that time, we demonstrated MOCA’s international leadership, and received unparalleled acclaim in the museum community. Our exhibitions and catalogues received numerous awards and countless critical plaudits. We found new and inventive ways to engage diverse audiences through education programs and visitor services, hugely popular special events, a content-rich website, and groundbreaking partnerships with organizations throughout this community. It is my hope that MOCA will never waver from its commitment to quality and its determination to serve artists. That is the heart and soul of this institution.
And it is CultureGrrl‘s hope that MOCA will be able to find a director who can oversee programs and exhibitions with comparable vitality and quality to what was achieved under the Strick administration. The press release tells us that “chief curator Paul Schimmel will continue to direct the curatorial program.” It also says that “the new management team and funding preparations [are] in place.”
I hope that doesn’t meant that MOCA has no intention of seeking an art-oriented director to act as co-equal or nearly co-equal with the newly appointed administrative head, Charles Young. The problem that could bedevil any director’s search, if there is one, is that few potential candidates may be willing to accept a position as second-in-command to a CEO from outside the artworld. I am seeking clarification about the envisioned chain-of-command.
This is still a work-in-progress. With fiscally responsible management and an infusion of cash, the prognosis for MOCA is guardedly optimistic.
For the financial and organizational specifics of MOCA’s new plan, see the detailed “Agreement Summary” at the end of the above-linked press release.