After 12 years at the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, including the last two as its director, Olga Viso is leaving to replace Kathy Halbreich as the new director of the Walker Art Center. The announcement, made Wednesday, follows Halbreich’s news in March that she’d be stepping down November 1 after more than 16 years. Part of the appeal of the Walker, Viso said, is its long history of daring curating and an environment that “fosters a cross-fertilization across disciplines” — a reference to the Walker’s film/video and performing arts programs.
“I feel very lucky to have this incredible platform that [Kathy]’s created,” she told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “It’s a privilege to be able to continue to shape an institution that she so lovingly built and fostered.”
At the Hirshhorn, Viso curated a landmark retrospective of works by Cuban American artist Ana Mendiata, a survey of the work of Juan Munoz, and is currently assembling the major exhibition Guillermo Kuitca: A Survey. She is also overseeing the creation of the two-part exhibition The Cinema Effect: Illusion, Reality, and the Moving Image, which opens in 2008. Clearly, Viso's curatorial experience and global vision for the arts is right in line with the Walker's, which is opening two major international exhibitions in October--a nationally touring Frida Kahlo retrospective (opening October 27) and Brave New Worlds, a survey of international artists (opening October 4).
What direction Viso will take the Walker when she starts in January is anybody’s guess, but if media reports in recent days are any indication, it won’t be a radical departure from the Walker we’ve known — a multidisciplinary, risk-taking venue for artists and audiences.
Curators have consistently described Viso, who recently turned 41, as unusually supportive of their needs and ambitions, and as more committed to art and programming than to the purely administrative aspects of her job. Kerry Brougher, the Hirshhorn’s chief curator, spoke of Viso’s insistence that the institution needed to do a better job promoting itself and funding its programs. “But whatever happened in those contexts . . . it always came back to ‘Okay, but what is this doing for the artist?’ ” She supported his interest, he added, in “experimental and revisionist programs.”
“Part of what makes Walker appealing to me is that it has a strength in performing arts, but also in film and media. There’s a possibility to do even more cross-disciplinary programming and to encourage artists to use those platforms. Contemporary artistic practice is so cross-disciplinary in the world in which we live, and I think the Walker is uniquely positioned to create interesting platforms for artists in which to work.”
Artinfo
Artforum
Minneapolis-St.Paul Business Journal
Modern Arts Notes’ Q&A (Part 1, Part 2)
New York Times
Portfolio.com
Star Tribune
Read the Walker’s press release.
Photo: Ken Cedeno for The New York Times
[…] MIA hires new director: Olga Viso, the Walker’s new director, will have good company when she arrives in town. The Minneapolis […]
Pingback by Off Center » Centerpoints 7.6 — 9/26/2007 @ 8:46 am
Welcome to Minnesota.
jimmy longoria
aka
coyote
Comment by jimmy longoria — 11/5/2007 @ 4:04 pm
She’s stunning. Is she single?
Comment by Tom Hannah — 1/9/2008 @ 11:08 am
A little more respect for the office she holds is in order, Tom. Funding for the Arts is coming under some very strong pressures. She is challenged with a nagging question of the times; do we need to fund the Walker when its Art is so out of touch with the rest of the population? Sort of the inversion of the ” Let them eat cake,..” misquote.
I trust that such a handsome person as Olga is well supported by another person of great character and strength, at least I hope so. I do not envy her her job.
As a fellow citizen of the great state of Minnesota I humbly ask you to show respect for the office she commands at this critical time in the life of the institution that you and I both love and adore.
jrl
Comment by jimmy longoria — 1/10/2008 @ 5:13 pm
I personally am very glad Olga is here; right here in river-city, with no marina for gorgeous river boats…it’s like 10,000 BC here! Or try St. Louis; they got marina’s!
If you’ll notice Walker fan’s, nobody leaves comment’s here as nobody reads’ this “Off Center” page! What a shame! Is it indicative of the percentage of real art patrons in this city?
The reason I pose this question loyal art people, is that the real percentage of art fans in this town is very small. Once you sift down through the beer-and-burger population at the legion of sports-bars, there is just a few left! Why? Because ART needs’ a shot of adrenaline! In this town! We NEED ART BARS!
There must be a way that Olga can reach everybody! If she gets’ out there, on the scene, I think she can. Maybe she can be like an “art gladiator”, and fight for fans in the great arena of Minneapolis extracurriculars! She must put together great talks and speeches for the schools, appear on public tv every week, get in the Mpls., Tribune at least once-a-month…even if she has to create a public disturbance to do it! Throw disguarded old art onto the street of Hennepin avenue. Olga I know you can pitch better than the Florida Marlins!
Be fresh Olga! Geezzzz…the former head’s of museums’ in this town nobody knew. No pictures’, no clue’s as to who they are, or where! Mmm a mystery.
Classiceye
Comment by Classiceye — 3/20/2008 @ 7:53 pm
I read the “Off Center” page, ClassicEye.
If I were Olga Viso, I’d be upset and firing people over the recent building meltdown. Is it true the buildings climate control systems failed!?
Comment by Ray Rolfe — 3/30/2008 @ 8:02 pm