The Museum of Modern Art in New York recently announced Christophe Cherix as its next director. The Swiss-born curator was unanimously confirmed by the museum’s board after a focused six-month international search, and his tenure will officially kick off in September of this year. He succeeds Glenn D. Lowry, who has steered the institution—widely regarded as the world’s leading museum—since 1995.
Cherix’s career includes stints as curator of prints at the Musée d’Art et Histoire in Geneva and a residency at LACMA while a Fellow at the Center for Curatorial Leadership. He joined MoMA in 2007 and, in 2013, was named Robert Lehman Foundation Chief Curator of Drawings and Prints following a departmental reorganization that combined the Department of Prints and Illustrated Books (of which he had been chief curator since 2010). He played a central role in integrating and expanding the collection.
Following the announcement, Cherix reflected on MoMA’s upcoming centennial, identifying support for staff and the institution’s ongoing relevance as top priorities. “MoMA has long been a leader in embracing new forms of expression, amplifying the voices of artists from around the globe, and engaging the broadest audiences onsite and online,” he said in a statement.
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Over his 18-year tenure, Cherix has led landmark exhibitions, including the major 2023 Ed Ruscha survey “ED RUSCHA / NOW THEN,” which reignited institutional and market interest in the artist’s work. His curatorial reach spans American and international artists working across media, with exhibitions dedicated to figures such as Betye Saar, Adrian Piper, Marcel Broodthaers, Yoko Ono and Jasper Johns. He also played a decisive role in securing several major collections, among them the Merrill C. Berman Collection, the Herman and Nicole Daled Collection and Archives, the Seth Siegelaub Collection and Archives, the Gilbert and Lila Silverman Fluxus Collection and Archives and the Art & Project/Depot VBVR Collection.
Though he is an established figure in curatorial leadership, his ascension to director marks Cherix’s first time heading an institution. MoMA board chair Marie-Josée Kravis embraced the appointment, lauding Cherix’s sharp curatorial vision, his deep-rooted commitment to MoMA’s collection and his reputation for calm, deliberate leadership. “We are thrilled that after a rigorous global search, the Trustees voted unanimously to appoint Christophe and that he accepted the appointment,” she said in a statement.
Lowry, MoMA’s longest-serving director, has worked closely with Cherix for more than fifteen years and welcomed the news. He told the press he was pleased with the Board’s decision and confirmed that the two would collaborate closely in the coming months to ensure a seamless transition. “Christophe is a gifted and talented curator, and I look forward to seeing the museum evolve and thrive under his able direction,” Lowry said.
