Brooklyn Museum Names New Director

The woman behind the Sept. 11th memorial "Tribute in Light" and the sugar sphinx at the former Domino Sugar factory will be the new director of the Brooklyn Museum.

Anne Pasternak, currently president and artistic director of the public art organization Creative Time, was elected to the position by the Brooklyn Museum's board Tuesday. She will be the first female director of the institution and will replace Arnold Lehman, who is retiring next month after 18 years on the job.

Anne Pasternak, president and artistic director of Creative Time, at opening of "Drifting in Daylight" exhibit in Central Park.

(Gisele Regatao)

"Anne believes in the limitless power of art to move, motivate, and inspire, and few cultural leaders have succeeded in reaching such huge audiences," the museum said in a statement, calling Pasternak "the clear choice." 

She will join the museum Sept. 1.

In this interview, Pasternak said her vision for the new job has been influenced by WNYC's series asking museum visitors what they want in a director: "You got the process rolling for me, people say they want artistic excellence, they want humor, they want their art to connect to their communities, they want Brooklyn artists to be supported. So let's find out more what we hear from our audiences," she said.

WNYC's art critic Deborah Solomon said Pasternak is the best choice for the museum, even though she doesn't have museum experience. "She has always stood up for artists," she said.

Solomon also said it's not a coincidence that Pasternak will be the first female director in a museum that has a Center for Feminist Art, saying that has been a priority for the chairwoman of the Brooklyn Museum, Elizabeth Sackler.

Pasternak will inherit an institution that has been transformed by Arnold Lehman. He took on controversial exhibits, turned the audience to 40% minorities and became the host of one of the most coveted parties in Brooklyn — the museum's first Saturdays. The Brooklyn Museum receives about 600,000 visitors a year.

And she will have to raise much more money than she was used to — the museum's budget is $35 million dollars, compared to $5 million for Creative Time. But she said she is not scared by that. ""35 million dollars, it's just a number. Yes, its intimidating but on the other hand you know I think that people are excited to support this institution," she said.

Creative Time's public art projects have been produced in places like Grand Central Station and in New Orleans after Katrina. Its current work, "Drifting in Daylight," is in Central Park.