The Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp (KMSKA) bids farewell to the brand new artistic director by mutual agreement. The planned opening on September 25 is not in jeopardy.
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The Dutch art historian Jacqueline Grandjean was in October brought in as artistic director of the museum. She was chosen from over 40 candidates. Grandjean strengthened the museum team led by general director Carmen Willems and succeeded Manfred Sellink, who for a long time combined the two functions.
After barely three months, Grandjean’s contract comes to an end. ‘The visions were far apart, both artistically and strategically’, says KMSKA chairman Luk Lemmens. A settlement was reached with Grandjean, so that neither party communicates about the departure.
Grandjean was previously active in Dutch institutions, such as Huize Frankendael and the Amsterdam Historical Museum. Since 2012, she has been director of the Oude Kerk art museum in Amsterdam.
For the time being, there will be no new candidacy in the KMSKA. ‘The opening of the museum is now a priority,’ says Lemmens. ‘Perhaps the high pressure to meet the deadline was the reason that the story with Mrs. Grandjean did not work out. But there is a strong museum team present. And what the new collection presentation will look like has been decided for some time now. Only after the reopening are we thinking of a new artistic director.’
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