London
François Pinault, the French luxury goods magnate and owner of Christie’s, has appointed Alison M. Gingeras as curator of the first exhibition to be held in his Venetian gallery, Palazzo Grassi, next spring. Mr Pinault recently abandoned his plans to establish a contemporary art museum on the Ile Seguin in Paris and instead bought an 80% share in the Venetian palace to house a portion of his collection of contemporary art.
Mr Pinault told The Art Newspaper: “I decided to make Ms Gingeras the curator of my first show in Venice because of her extensive international experience, her fresh approach and her original vision for contemporary art.” Ms Gingeras was recently appointed adjunct curator of the Guggenheim Museum in New York. From 1999 to 2004, she was curator of contemporary art at the Pompidou Centre in Paris.
The Art Newspaper understands that Mr Pinault’s first show in Venice will include some 150 pieces drawn from his collection by Urs Fischer, Charles Ray, Rudolf Stingel and Donald Judd among others.
Restoration work overseen by the Japanese architect Tadao Ando has begun on the Venetian palace. Mr Ando was originally slated to design Mr Pinault’s Paris museum.
Reports that Clarenza Catullo, a member of the Palazzo Grassi management board under the building’s previous owners Fiat, was to be the new palace director were denied by a spokeswoman for Mr Pinault.