Lee Hnetinka

With questions looming as to who will assume the role as its new director, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has named Daniel H. Weiss, the institution’s current president and chief operating officer, to a new post as president and CEO. Weiss had been named interim CEO earlier this year after Thomas P. Campbell announced that he would  resign as director . As president and chief executive officer, Weiss is currently in charge of the museum’s finances. Along with his directorship, Campbell, who officially leaves the museum on June 30, had previously held the CEO position at the museum—today’s announcement means that the CEO and director titles have been split apart. The new director, when appointed, will be in charge of artistic direction and curatorial priorities—and will report to Weiss. “He is a scholar of art history, he is a seasoned leader of complex institutions, and he is committed to the museum’s mission,” Daniel Brodsky, the chairman of the Met’s board of tr...

The head of the Art Gallery of Ontario says while the museum has made progress in creating an art world that is more inclusive, there is still room for improvement. AGO director Stephan Jost was responding Wednesday to criticism from one of the museum's former curators, who said he recently left his job because he was worried "about an institution wavering in its commitment to make space for new voices." Andrew Hunter, who had served as the AGO's Canadian art curator since May 2013, left the gallery in September. I n a Toronto Star column this week , Hunter expressed disappointment that art institutions aren't progressing quickly enough in their attempts to be more inclusive, especially when it comes to Canada's Indigenous community. In the piece, he said the AGO is "an institution that remains (like so many others in this country) burdened by, and seemingly committed to, a deeply problematic and divisive history defined by exclusion and era...

The usually booming New York City art scene is rather slow in August, leaving one to wonder where all of the commotion over contemporary art goes: on vacation to the Hamptons of course! There is a great deal of special exhibitions and openings happening all over the Hamptons this month. Should you find yourself escaping to the Hamptons during these final days of summer, be sure to check out one or all of these events. 1.       Montauk/ Watermill On August 7th, “Unfinished Business” opened at the  Parrish Art Museum . This exhibit, which will run until October 16th, features the paintings by Ross Bleckner, Eric Fischl, and David Salle, three artists who formed an artistic enclave in Los Angeles in the 1970s and ’80s. The exhibit features 23 canvases and 17 paperworks by these artists and celebrates their innovation and profound influence on the Los Angeles art scene. At the  Watermill Center , you can catch the light installation “Co...

In 1997, conceptual artist Xu Zhen filmed himself smashing a dead cat repeatedly against a concrete floor. A year later, in a video called "Shouting," he let out a series of loud screams in Shanghai's streets and captured the crowds' bemusement as they turned to face the waiting camera. Xu, who was then in his early 20s, was building a career on hoaxes, pranks and shock value. But, two decades later, one of China's most talked about artists has come of age. The once censored provocateur is now the CEO of his own art company. More likely to exercise irony than provoke outrage, Xu has assumed the role of reformed upstart and mentor for a new generation of Chinese artists. "I think they're different," said the 40-year-old, from his Shanghai studio. "The youngest artists focus on matters of their own lives, like sex and human relations. A few years later, they will grow interested in social issues -- economy, business models, the Internet....

Stephan Jost  has been appointed the Michael and Sonja Koerner Director and CEO of the  Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) , it was announced today. Currently the Director of the  Honolulu Museum of Art (HoMA) , Mr. Jost plans to join the AGO this spring, pending governmental approval of authorization to work in Canada. “I am absolutely delighted to welcome Stephan to the AGO,” says  Maxine Granovsky Gluskin , President of the AGO Board of Trustees and Chair of the Board search committee. “Stephan is a warm and engaging leader who has built upon the successes of each institution he has led. He is focused on artistic excellence, passionate about ensuring accessibility of art, committed to community engagement, and is deeply respected among his peers and colleagues. We believe he is the perfect fit for the AGO, and on behalf of our Trustees, staff and volunteers, I offer him our heartfelt congratulations.” The Michigan-born Mr. Jost, 47, has been the Director of ...

This is an artistic account so you can know all the artistic pictures that inspire my art. You will find my drawings and images that I’ve found and have inspired me on every way possible. Only good vibes and positivity, no criticism allowed for my work or the work of the ones that have marked my style.