The Art Institute Of Chicago Names A New President

By Mae Rice in News on Jan 28, 2016 9:22PM

Photo by TheLandOfKarlalot

The Art Institute of Chicago has appointed James Rondeau, 46, as its new president and Eloise W. Martin Director, according to the New York Times.

Rondeau—currently the Dittmer Chair and Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, the Sun-Times reports—will succeed Douglas Druick, who was president of the Art Institue for the past four years, and recently stepped down, according to the Times.

During his 18-year tenure at the museum, Rondeau curated several well-known exhibits, including "Roy Lichtenstein: A Retrospective,” and "Charles Ray: Sculpture, 1997-2014."

He also helped facilitate a gift of 40 pieces of art, worth a total $400 million, from collectors Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson, the Times reports—which was the largest art gift in the museum's history. (The largest cash gift in its history was announced yesterday.)

"I’ve made this extraordinary institution my professional home for nearly two decades because I believe it is one of the greatest museums in the world. . . I regard it as the job of a lifetime,” Rondeau said of the appointment, according to the Art Institute’s Facebook post on his new role.