Artangel Names Mariam Zulfiqar Director; Christopher Lew Leaves Whitney; Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory Wins Sobey Award

Starting January 2022, Mariam Zulfiqar will take over as the director of Artangel, following the departure of co-directors James Lingwood and Michael Morris, who spent 30 years in their roles. Zulfiqar comes from the National Arts Programme at Forestry England, where she concentrated on art and ecology. She has also curated for Chiswick House and Gardens and served as deputy director and chief curator at UP Projects. Her appreciation for Artangel began in 2001 after experiencing Michael Landy's 'Breakdown' while studying Public Art at Chelsea College of Art, and she aims to incorporate social and environmental themes into future initiatives. Meanwhile, Christopher Y. Lew is leaving his curator role at the Whitney Museum of American Art after seven years to join a nonprofit and start-up. In other news, Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory, an Inuit performance artist, won the 2021 Sobey Art Award, which includes an $80,000 prize, acknowledging her work with Indigenous traditions. Other nominees included Lorna Bauer, Rémi Belliveau, Gabi Dao, and Rajni Perera. Bathory highlighted that her recognition comes during tough times for Indigenous communities, facing issues like unmarked graves and inadequate resources.