Mudam Luxembourg Appoints Florence Ostende as Head of Artistic Department
Mudam Luxembourg – Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean announces the appointment of Florence Ostende as Head of Artistic Department
The appointment of Florence Ostende was made following an international search with a local and international jury, including Mudam Luxembourg director, Bettina Steinbrügge.
‘We warmly welcome Florence. Florence Ostende is a prolific curator who will bring to Mudam Luxembourg a wealth of knowledge and experience and a commitment to innovative curatorial practice with a focus on artistic and curatorial excellence,’ said Bettina Steinbrügge. ‘As we move forward as a museum, Florence will be an inspiring leader who shares our commitment to dynamic, relevant art programming and collecting that has a lasting impact.’
Florence Ostende will take up her new post on 15 April 2024. Currently Curator at Barbican Art Gallery in London, she has curated critically acclaimed exhibitions, including Carrie Mae Weems: Reflections for Now (2023), Noguchi (2021), Michael Clark: Cosmic Dancer (2020), Into the Night: Cabarets and Clubs in Modern Art (2019), and The Japanese House: Architecture and Life after 1945 (2017). Before joining the Barbican in 2016, Ostende curated major exhibitions at Palais de Tokyo in Paris such as Ugo Rondinone: I Love John Giorno (2015). Earlier roles include those of Adjunct Curator at Dallas Contemporary and tutor of theory and art history at the University of Art and Design – HEAD in Geneva. She holds MAs in Curating Contemporary Art (Royal College of Art, London), Art History (Université Paris IV Paris-Sorbonne), and English Literature (Université de Provence). Her exhibition on the work of Francis Alÿs will open in June 2024 at the Barbican followed by the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art in Porto.
Speaking on her appointment, Florence Ostende stated: ‘I have always admired Mudam Luxembourg’s outstanding international programme and bold commitment to challenge the civic role of the museum. Mudam Luxembourg holds a unique position at the heart of Europe within one of the world’s greatest hub of art museums. This inspiring context offers a powerful scope to shape a creative and inclusive curatorial repertoire as we face a complex and challenging world. I am deeply honored by the opportunity to lead the museum’s programme and collection with an incredible team and engage with Luxembourg’s global community across multiple languages and worldviews. I am thrilled to assume this new role and expand Mudam Luxembourg’s fearless support of artists’ radical imaginations and learning for all.’
