Johanna Burton leaves LA MOCA to direct ICA Philadelphia
Johanna Burton, who has served as the leader of The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles since 2021, is transitioning to a new role as the director of the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) at the University of Pennsylvania. She will succeed Zoë Ryan, who held the director position at ICA from 2020 until 2024 before her move to the Hammer Museum. Burton significantly revived MOCA's annual fundraising gala, generating $3 million, and established the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Environment and Art Prize, which awarded $100,000 to artists tackling environmental themes. Her tenure at ICA begins on November 1.
Key facts
- Johanna Burton is leaving LA MOCA to direct ICA Philadelphia.
- She joined MOCA in 2021 and reinstated its annual gala in 2022, raising $3 million yearly.
- She launched the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Environment and Art Prize, awarding $100,000.
- Inaugural winners of the prize were Julian Charrière and Cecilia Vicuña.
- Burton replaces Zoë Ryan, who led ICA from 2020 to 2024 and moved to the Hammer Museum.
- Burton previously led the Wexner Center for the Arts and held roles at the New Museum, Bard College, and the Whitney.
- She starts at ICA Philadelphia on 1 November.
- ICA Philadelphia is part of the University of Pennsylvania.
Entities
Artists
- Julian Charrière
- Cecilia Vicuña
Institutions
- The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
- Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania
- Hammer Museum
- Wexner Center for the Arts
- New Museum
- Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College
- Whitney Museum of American Art
Locations
- Los Angeles
- Philadelphia
- Columbus
- Ohio
- New York