Conservative artist Janusz Janowski appointed director of Warsaw's Zachęta National Gallery without open competition

So, last week, Janusz Janowski, who’s a painter and musician with no museum leadership experience, was named the new director of Warsaw’s Zachęta National Gallery of Art. This appointment, made by Piotr Gliński, the Polish Minister of Culture and National Heritage, didn’t go through a public competition, which has stirred up a lot of controversy. Critics are calling it a politically motivated choice by the rightwing government. Janowski takes over from Hanna Wróblewska, who had been in charge since 2010 until she left in July. Over a thousand arts professionals in Poland protested her exit, claiming it was driven by politics and that she was performing at her best. Janowski’s regional arts background has raised questions about his fit for this role. Former director Anda Rottenberg warned that the gallery might fall back into outdated practices.