Kathy Halbreich Explained

Kathy Halbreich (; born 1949) is an American art curator and museum director.

Early life and education

Halbreich was born to Betty Stoll and Sonny Halbreich in 1949.^[1] She earned her BA from Bennington College.

Career

Halbreich was director of the Albert and Vera List Visual Arts Center at MIT, where she designed a new arts building with architect I.M. Pei. She was then the curator of contemporary art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.^[2]

In 1991, Halbreich was hired as director of the Walker Art Center. Under her leadership, the museum broadened its reputation for developing emerging talent, hosting avant-garde performances and exhibitions. She oversaw a $73.8 million expansion at the Walker and announced her retirement in 2007.^[3] She was hired as an associate director of the Museum of Modern Art in 2008.^{[2] [4]} At MoMA, Halbreich curated a 2014 retrospective of German artist Sigmar Polke and a 2018 Bruce Nauman exhibition.^{[5] [6]}

In September, 2017 Halbreich was appointed director of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation.^[7]

Other activities

Halbreich was a member of the juries that selected Kerstin Brätsch for the Edvard Munch Art Award (2017)^[8] and Doris Salcedo for the Nomura Art Award (2019).^[9] She has also served on the selection committee that chose the artist exhibiting at the American pavilion at the Venice Biennale.^[10]

Notes and References

1. Thurman. Judith. Ask Betty. The New Yorker. November 12, 2012.
2. News: Vogel. Carol. In New York, Kathy Halbreich becomes the new face at Museum of Modern Art. The New York Times. October 1, 2007.
3. News: Vogel. Carol. Influential Director Resigns at Minneapolis Art Center. The New York Times. March 20, 2007.
4. Web site: Kathy Halbreich. MoMA. September 12, 2015.
5. News: Sheets. Hilarie M.. MoMA's Kathy Halbreich Is Connecting the Polke Dots. ARTnews. April 2, 2014.
6. Web site: Bruce Nauman: Disappearing Acts. The Museum of Modern Art. en. 2017-09-29.
7. Web site: Rauschenberg Foundation Taps MoMA's Kathy Halbreich to Be Director. Russeth. Andrew. 2017-09-28. ARTnews. en-US. 2017-09-29.
8. Alex Greenberger (14 November 2017), Kerstin Brätsch Wins 2017 Edvard Munch Art Award ARTnews.
9. Maximilíano Durón (31 October 2019), Doris Salcedo Wins $1 M. Nomura Award, World’s Largest Art Prize ARTnews.
10. Carol Vogel (3 August 2004), American Art Is Adrift For Biennale In Venice New York Times.