Walker curator leaves for New York

Phillipe Vergne
Walker deputy director and chief curator Philippe Vergne is leaving that post to join the Dia Art Foundation in New York.
MPR photo/Euan Kerr

The Walker Art Center's deputy director is leaving to run the New York-based Dia Art Foundation.

Phillipe Vergne, who has also been the Walker's chief curator since 2005, will lead the foundation's search for a new home in Manhattan. He says he is looking forward to the challenge, and knows there is a lot of support from the Dia board.

"The board of Dia is so committed to entering this new chapter of their history that they are fully on board for that," said Vergne. "The art world is waiting for Dia to come back to the city, and so there is a lot of support around this initiative."

The 30-year old Dia Art Foundation is internationally known for its work commissioning and collecting modern art. Vergne says he hopes to collaborate with the Walker in his new job.

This is the second time Vergne has left the Walker Art Center in the last few years. He moved to Paris in 2004 to head up a new art center, and was knighted by the French government for his service to the arts.

In 2006, Vergne curated the Whitney Biennial in New York City. Vergne joined the Walker Art Center in 1997 as curator of the visual arts department.

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