NEW YORK, NY.- The Frick Collection announced today that it has appointed Maeve Turner as its Head of Gardens and Horticulture. With more than fifteen years of experience working on major horticultural initiatives at esteemed New York City institutions including the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the High Line, Turner joins the Frick at a critical juncture as it looks ahead to the reopening of its Fifth Avenue home, following the completion of a comprehensive renovation and enhancement designed by Selldorf Architects in conjunction with the preservation firm Beyer Blinder Belle. The museum and library are slated to reopen to the public in early 2025.

In this newly created position within the Frick’s Curatorial Department, Turner will manage and maintain the institution’s three historic green spaces: the Fifth Avenue Garden, known for its signature magnolias; the interior Garden Court, created in 1935 by John Russell Pope; and the walled viewing garden on East 70th Street added in 1977 by Russell Page. She will also coordinate related educational programming for the public and members. Turner’s first day at the Frick will be September 16, 2024.

Comments Ian Wardropper, Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Director, “We are so pleased to welcome Maeve Turner to our staff at this exciting time, knowing that she brings a wealth of experience to her new role. She will be a great asset as we identify innovative ways to interpret our gardens and share their history and beauty with the public. She will be only our second full-time horticulturist to focus entirely on these spaces, following the recent retirement of Galen Lee, who was hired to work with Russell Page more than four decades ago.”

Adds Xavier F. Salomon, Deputy Director and Peter Jay Sharp Chief Curator, “A highly skilled and deeply knowledgeable horticulturist, Maeve will not only help us prepare our gardens for reopening and maintain them moving forward, but will also create public programming that takes a fresh look at these beloved indoor and outdoor spaces. This is particularly exciting given that the renovation project celebrates our gardens by offering visitors more vantage points than ever before from which to view and enjoy them. We know that her input will be invaluable and will highlight and enhance the many ways in which these magnificent spaces are an integral part of the Frick experience.”

Turner comments, “I am thrilled to have this opportunity to bring my knowledge and perspective as a seasoned horticulturist to this newly defined curatorial position. The Frick is home to three remarkable, beloved gardens, each with its own character, history, and unique way of enriching the visitor experience. I am honored to be a part of the collaborative vision that will bring these very special spaces back into the public eye, not only through their ongoing care but through fresh interpretation and programming.”