The art world has always suffered from issues of diversity and amplifying Black voices within the space. Now one of the biggest names in the industry is adding more people of color to its senior leadership roles. This week, the Guggenheim Museum announced that it will be appointing Naomi Beckwith as its new deputy director and chief curator for the art venue.
Beckwith will be the first Black person in the role, after the museum hired its first full-time Black curator in its history in 2019. The news comes after many critics within the art world have accused the institution of not showcasing Black artists and fostering a racist environment amongst its workforce.
“One cannot overstate the
iconicity and consequence of the Guggenheim Museum—yet, refusing to rest on its laurels, it readily presents projects that disrupt art history’s mythologies,” said Beckwith, according to ArtNews. “I’m excited to join the Guggenheim and its passionate team at a pivotal moment. I look forward to merging our shared goals of expanding the story of art, and also working to shape a new reality for arts and culture.”TheGuggenheim celebrated the new appointment, sharing the news on its Twitter page as numerous members from the industry congratulated Beckwith on her new role.
The museum shared the news on their Instagram also stating that Beckwith will be responsible for overseeing “collections, exhibitions, publications, and curatorial programs and archives while playing an instrumental role in shaping the museum’s vision.”