Nicolas Bourriaud removed as MoCo director amid political tensions with Montpellier mayor

Nicolas Bourriaud has been dismissed as director of Montpellier Contemporain (MoCo) in France, replaced by curator Numa Hambursin following a board meeting. The ouster stems from political clashes with Montpellier's mayor Michaël Delafosse, who criticized Bourriaud's leadership and budget management. Delafosse deemed the €6 million budget extravagant and exhibitions too elitist. Bourriaud defended his record, citing external disruptions like the Yellow Vests protests and pandemic closures, and noting the budget covers MoCo's three components including an art school. In November, 1,400 people signed a petition supporting Bourriaud, and art students protested Hambursin's appointment. Hambursin was among three candidates, including Ashok Adicéam and Céline Kopp, with Bourriaud's proposal rejected in March. His appointment drew criticism for lacking a two-thirds majority, receiving 12 out of 19 votes. Hambursin, a close friend of Delafosse, is seen as aligning with the mayor's populist vision for MoCo. He currently serves as artistic director of Fondation GGL Helenis, a private foundation in a Montpellier hotel, and previously directed Carré Sainte-Anne de Montpellier from 2010 to 2017. MoCo was launched in summer 2019 under former mayor Philippe Saurel, merging an art school, La Panacée centre, and Hôtel des Collections to boost the city's art profile.