Release Date: September 30, 2022

Claudia Gould to Step Down in June 2023 Following Transformative 11-Year Tenure

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New York, NY, September 30, 2022 –The Jewish Museum announced today that Claudia Gould, Helen Goldsmith Menschel Director, will step down when her contract expires in June 2023 and will continue in her role as Director until her departure. Ms. Gould has been recognized throughout her career for her interdisciplinary approach to exhibitions and public programming. At the Jewish Museum, Ms. Gould spearheaded an integrated program to express the values of the Museum’s mission in contemporary and relevant ways.

“Since joining us in late 2011, Ms. Gould has overseen an enlivening period of revitalization, growth, and success for the Jewish Museum,” said Robert A. Pruzan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Museum. “Claudia’s work to reimagine the presentation of the Museum’s collections and exhibition space has been transformative. Under her leadership, the Museum presented many highly acclaimed and innovative exhibitions, which helped to greatly expand our audiences and donor base. We thank Claudia for her dedication to the Jewish Museum for over a decade and are grateful for her continued leadership. The Board of Directors will be appointing a Search Committee to commence the search for a new Director.”

Accomplishments during Ms. Gould’s tenure include reconceiving and reinstalling the collection, establishing the Museum’s first Curator of Contemporary Art and Curator of Contemporary Programming with an endowed gift from the Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation, along with the donation of more than 90 works of modern and contemporary art from the Newman Foundation. Additionally, Ms. Gould’s impact on the Museum’s exhibition program includes further integrating contemporary art, presenting Judaica through a contemporary lens, and expanding audiences with crossover exhibitions of architecture, design, and fashion, always under the framework of the impact of Jewish culture on society.

Ms. Gould said, "It has been an honor to be a part of this historic museum and to work with our talented staff. Together, we have built strong momentum and ushered in a new age for the Jewish Museum by attracting new audiences and artists. We stayed true to the mission, while enhancing its impact. I am also proud of the award-winning exhibitions, publications, and programming that we presented over the past decade. The Jewish Museum has never been better positioned for success in today’s challenging world – with exhibitions scheduled until 2026, a new five-year strategic framework, and new partnerships across the organization for education, exhibitions, and public programming. I look forward to working with the team on the reimagining of the Education and Study Center as well as supporting forthcoming publications and the programming calendar, including a major fashion exhibition at the Museum in September 2023.

With an emphasis on bringing new perspectives to the Jewish Museum, Gould oversaw 40 exhibitions during her tenure, including the landmark shows: As it were...So to speak: A Museum Collection in Dialogue with Barbara Bloom (2013);  Roberto Burle Marx, Brazilian Modernist (2016); Isaac Mizrahi, An Unruly History (2016); Pierre Chareau: Modern Architecture and Design (2017); Modigliani Unmasked (2017); Florine Stettheimer: Painting Poetry (2017); Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything (2019); Rachel Feinstein: Maiden, Mother, Crone (2019); Edith Halpert and the Rise of American Art (2019); We Fight to Build a Free World: An Exhibition by Jonathan Horowitz (2020); Lawrence Weiner: ALL THE STARS IN THE SKY HAVE THE SAME FACE (2020); The Hare with Amber Eyes (2021); Louise Bourgeois, Freud’s Daughter (2021); Jonas Mekas: The Camera Was Always Running (2022); and the recently opened New York: 1962-1964 (on view through January 8, 2023).

Prior to joining the Jewish Museum in 2011, Ms. Gould was the Daniel W. Dietrich Director at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), University of Pennsylvania, from 1999 to 2011; Executive Director of Artists Space, the landmark New York City alternative exhibition space, from 1994 to 1999; first Curator of Exhibitions at the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio; and prior curatorial roles with P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center in New York, New York and Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center in Buffalo, New York. She has also been an independent curator of several international contemporary art projects.

About the Jewish Museum

The Jewish Museum is an art museum committed to illuminating the complexity and vibrancy of Jewish culture for a global audience.  Located on New York City's Museum Mile, in the landmarked Warburg mansion, the Jewish Museum was the first institution of its kind in the United States and is one of the oldest Jewish museums in the world. The Museum offers diverse exhibitions and programs and maintains a unique collection of nearly 30,000 works of art, ceremonial objects, and media reflecting the global Jewish experience over more than 4,000 years. The public may call 212.423.3200 or visit TheJewishMuseum.org for more information.

Press contacts

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Jennifer Cuminale, Director, Brunswick Arts, [email protected] or 347.837.8416