Janet Landay, former executive director, Association of Art Museum Directors
While we’re on the subject of resignations, there’s been another important abdication of perhaps more immediate relevance to CultureGrrl‘s core professional audience—the abrupt, unexplained departure of Janet Landay from the Association of Art Museum Directors, after two years as its executive director.
I don’t know why Landay, who arrived with impressive credentials, suddenly left. In her Farewell to Janet statement released last month, the association’s current president, Kaywin Feldman of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, gave no explanation beyond the usual “to pursue new challenges” bromide.
What I do know is that there was a troubling series of confused, misguided, inadequate or downright inaccurate written statements emanating from AAMD on hot-button topics during Landay’s tenure. That wouldn’t happen if there were careful review by an executive committee of AAMD leaders, with substantial input from a well-informed, hands-on executive director, expertly serving the functions of policy advisor, fact-checker, copy editor and spokesperson.
AAMD sometimes picks the most experienced, preeminent museum leaders for its rotating president’s spot; other times, it hands over that position to directors with a less substantial track record and less policy acumen. This variability at the top is part of AAMD’s problem. I’ve dealt with a whole bunch of its presidents, and I know.
AAMD presidents come and go every year or two. But the executive director, as chief administrator and spokesperson, should be the constant guiding force, with the thorough grounding in museum policy and practice to assure that when the members speak with one voice, they do so wisely and accurately.
I certainly had my adversarial moments with Landay’s predecessor, Mimi Gaudieri, who for 35 years was the unfailing voice of AAMD. Whatever our differences, I knew that Mimi communicated with the authority that comes from an in-depth knowledge of the field and a complete understanding of the museum directors’ philosophy, goals and interests.
Getting almost 200 museum directors to agree on policy and public pronouncements is like herding cats. That’s why so many of AAMD’s statements seem so cautious and watered down by the time they reach its website. To its credit, AAMD in recent years has made an effort (however compromised by gaffes) to take more forceful positions on the important issues and controversies of the day.
A highly respected, deeply experienced president, guided by an energetic, perceptive, articulate executive director, could do much to hone the association’s message and its enhance its clout.
Speaking of respect, experience and strong statements, if readers don’t take a forceful position on my “Donate” button, I may have to resign from CultureGrrl and apply for an open executive director’s position. (Just kidding about the last part!)