Philadelphia โMuseum of Art director Sasha Suda has been removed from herโฃ position following widespread criticismโข of a recent, and reportedly board-unapproved, rebrand. The decision, announced Monday, comes less than two years after Suda’s arrival inโ September 2022 and amidst ongoing โfallout from the controversial new visual identity.
The rebrand, which features a minimalist logoโค and a shift in the museum’s overall aesthetic, sparked immediate โคbacklashโ online and raised concerns โฃamong museum โtrustees. Trustee Yoramโ (Jerry) Wind โtold the Inquirer that โฃthe boardโ only โคlearned of the finalized rebrand asโ itโ was being publicized andโ had no inputโข on the project, stating, “Basically the board never approved โit.” Another trustee, Jennifer Rice,โฃ while โmore keen โabout โคthe rebrand,โ agreed that “the boardโ should have been told whenโ theโฃ launch was happening.”
The โmuseum confirmed the โคrebrand cost $250,000, plus additional, unspecified expenses forโข media and way-finding. Suda’sโ tenure began withโค a notable labor dispute; she arrived as โmore than 100โ unionized museum workersโค were ending a three-week strike over contract negotiations that had lasted nearly two years. The strike concluded in October 2022 with a new union contract.
Sudaโฃ succeeded Timothy Rub, who served as director forโข 13 years. The museum has not yet โฃannounced an interim or permanent โreplacement.