The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) announced on Friday that Christophe Cherix will become its next director, beginning this September. The Swiss curator, who is currently MoMA’s chief curator of drawings and prints, first joined the museum in 2007. He is set to succeed Glenn D. Lowry, who has led the institution since 1995. Lowry will leave MoMA as its longest-serving director to date.
In his tenure at the institution, Cherix has curated landmark exhibitions including “ED RUSCHA / NOW THEN” in 2023, “Adrian Piper: A Synthesis of Institutions” in 2018, and “Yoko Ono: One Woman Show” in 2015. He has also overseen acquisitions of major collections that have expanded MoMA’s holdings significantly.
“Christophe’s brilliant curatorial leadership in modern and contemporary art, deep insight and passion for MoMA’s collection, and reputation for steady stewardship stood out as indispensable qualities to meet the moment as the museum’s next director,” said Marie-Josée Kravis, the chair of MoMA’s board, in a press statement accompanying the announcement.
Born in Switzerland, Cherix studied at the University of Geneva. Prior to joining MoMA, he was a curator at Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva. “MoMA has long been a leader in embracing new forms of expression, amplifying the voices of artists from around the globe, and engaging the broadest audiences onsite and online,” he said in a press statement. “As the Museum approaches its centennial, my highest priority is to support its exceptional staff and ensure that their unique ability to navigate the ever-evolving present continues to thrive.”
Since September 2024, when Lowry announced his intention to step down, speculation over the identity of his successor has been widespread in the art world. Thelma Golden, the director and chief curator of the Studio Museum in Harlem, and Jessica Morgan, director of the Dia Art Foundation, were thought to be among those in contention for the job.
In 2018, Lowry was approved by MoMA’s board to extend his tenure past 2020, when he was previously set to retire, based on a museum policy requiring senior staff to retire at age 65.
“I have been privileged to work with Christophe for more than fifteen years at MoMA, and I am delighted that the board has chosen him to be the next director of the museum. In the months ahead, we will work together to ensure a smooth and successful transition,” Lowry said in a press statement. “Christophe is a gifted and talented curator, and I Iook forward to seeing the Museum evolve and thrive under his able direction.”
