A number of notable art world gongs were handed out in the King’s Birthday Honours List (this year’s list is the first from King Charles for his official royal birthday in June). A round of applause first for Joe Scotland, director of Studio Voltaire in London, who was made an MBE for services to the arts. The newly garlanded Joe is celebrating his 20th year at Studio Voltaire, and the gallery will mark its 30th anniversary next year. In 2021, Studio Voltaire reopened following a £2.8m revamp; we pointed out that the not-for-profit art space housed in a former Victorian Methodist chapel in Clapham is a small organisation with big impact, giving pivotal shows to artists such as Phyllida Barlow, Anthea Hamilton and Charlotte Prodger. Other art figures honoured include Deborah Swallow, the outgoing director of the Courtauld Institute, who is appointed a CBE. Swallow announced her retirement last year after 18 years in post. Hats off also to Andrew Bolton, curator in charge at the Costume Institute at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, who has been made OBE for his clever Spring exhibitions celebrated annually at the Met Gala (the latest offering is Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty, until 16 July).
Professor Deborah Swallow
credit: Jim Winslet