Mariët Westermann becomes first woman to lead Guggenheim Foundation

Mariët Westermann has been appointed director and CEO of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, becoming the first woman to lead the institution. She will succeed Richard Armstrong, who has held the position for 15 years, starting June 1, 2024. Westermann will oversee the strategic direction of the foundation, the Guggenheim Museum in New York, and the museum network in Europe and Abu Dhabi. J. Tomilson Hill, chair of the foundation's board of trustees, praised her unique combination of global vision, stakeholder management experience, and deep belief in the power of arts and culture. Westermann, an art historian, has served as vice chancellor, chief executive, and professor of arts and humanities at NYU Abu Dhabi since 2019, where she helped establish the institution and develop its academic programs. She previously held roles as executive vice president of the Mellon Foundation, director of the NYU Institute of Fine Arts, associate director at the Clark Art Institute, and professor at Rutgers University. She curated the exhibition "Art and Home: Dutch Interiors in the Age of Rembrandt" at the Denver Art Museum and Newark Museum (1997–2001). Westermann has published extensively on Dutch art. She expressed honor in joining the Guggenheim, highlighting its mission across four museums on three continents: New York, Bilbao, Venice, and Abu Dhabi.