And the verdict is in. After much tongue wagging via the art press this weekend (including some Twitter chatter by the likes of artist/instigator William Powhida and Saltz-archrival Tyler Green), MOCA Los Angeles has confirmed the selection of New York gallerist Jeffrey Deitch as the museum’s new director. Way to start 2010 with a boom, LA — never before has a major US museum hired a leader from the commercial side of the market. One has to wonder: Can Deitch man up for such a significant role at a nonprofit? And what will become of his baby, Deitch Projects? (UPDATE: definitely closing shop.) After the jump we take a walk down memory lane.
View our slideshow of selected Deitch Projects exhibitions from 1996-2009 »
A couple of prescient notes that may hint at solidify the future of Deitch Projects:
1. No upcoming exhibitions are listed on the gallery website beyond the current ones (Os Gemeos mural on Houston, Josh Smith in the Long Island City space, and Francesco Clemente in Miami).
2. Critic Jerry Saltz claimed via Facebook that the Deitch’s gallery will be no mas.
3. Our resident artfly Paul Laster speculates that it will close; Deitch can’t really sell it because “the buyer could not keep the name, so what’s the point.”
MOCA’s hot-off-the-press official release here. Leon Neyfakh’s got the scoop on shuttering Deitch Projects at the New York Observer.