In the interim, the museum is being led by three of its deputy directors: Naomi Beckwith, the chief curator; Sarah Austrian, the general counsel and secretary; and Marcy Withington, the chief financial officer and acting chief operating officer.
Recently, the Guggenheim temporarily closed its entrance on Fifth Avenue after a protest inside the museum denouncing Israel’s military airstrikes in Gaza.
Moreover, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi — designed by Frank Gehry, who also did the museum’s Bilbao satellite in Spain — has been delayed, in part by protests over the plight of migrant workers on the project, but is now scheduled to open in 2026.
Westermann said it was too soon for her to say anything about Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, “except that I have been excited to see the building rising so near to me in a truly remarkable district of institutions of art, natural history, science and culture.”She added that she was well aware of the hurdles involved in running “four very distinctive museums in four distinguished buildings in four very dynamic cities.”“The demands on museum directors today are very complicated,” she said.
“The skill set you need for a constellation like the Guggenheim is a challenge and opportunity that seems well mapped onto the kinds of experiences I’ve had.”
Persons:
Naomi Beckwith, Sarah Austrian, Marcy Withington, Westermann, Nancy Spector, Abu Dhabi, Frank Gehry, Spain —, I’ve, ”
Organizations:
Sackler, Guggenheim, Abu
Locations:
Gaza, Spain, Abu Dhabi, “