TEL AVIV.- Suzanne Landau, Chief Curator of Fine Arts at The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, will join the Tel Aviv Museum of Art as its next Director and Chief Curator in September, 2012, after 34 years at the Israel Museum. Landau was recommended by the Tel Aviv Museum’s Appointment Committee and approved by its Board of Directors today. Since the passing away of the late Professor Mordechai Omer in June, 2011, the position has been filled by his Deputy, Mrs. Shuli Kislev. The Appointment Committee was chaired by Adv. Haim Samet, with members Irith Rappaport, Doron Sebbag, Dr. Ron Pundak, Allen Baharaff and Ofer Lelouche.

Suzanne Landau has a vast museum experience, gained through her tenure at the Israel Museum, where she has been on staff since 1978 and served as Chief Curator since 1998. As the Israel Museum’s curator of contemporary art since 1982, Landau has greatly expanded the museum’s international contemporary art collection and program. Outstanding among the recent acquisitions she initiated is Christian Marclay’s The Clock, in joint ownership with the Tate and Pompidou museums. In addition, Landau has curated dozens of exhibitions, notable among them: “Still / Moving” (2010), “Double Dress: Yinka Shonibare” (2002), “Gerhard Richter: Paintings” (1995), “Life Size: A Sense of the Real in Art” (1990) and “Christian Boltanski” (1989).

The Museum’s Board of Directors welcomed the appointment and expressed its confidence that Suzanne Landau would carry the Tel Aviv Museum to new achievements, and provide an appropriate presentation to the permanent collections, including the Museum’s vast collection of Israeli art and of contemporary international art.

Mayor of Tel Aviv-Yafo and Chairman of the Museum’s International Board of Directors, Mr. Ron Huldai, welcomed the appointment. Suzanne Landau, he said, brings vast knowledge, experience and a deep understanding of contemporary art. Mr. Huldai expressed his confidence that Landau, together with the Museum’s curators and staff will lead the Museum to new directions and make the best use of the impressive new Herta and Paul Amir Building, thus giving expression to Tel Aviv’s rich cultural essence.

Isaac Molho, Chairman of the Israel Museum’s Board of Directors, stated: “As Suzanne’s mandated retirement from the Israel Museum approaches, we are proud that someone of her capability, trained at the Israel Museum over so many years, will now be able to contribute her talent and expertise to the future success of one of Israel’s other great cultural institutions, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art.”

James S. Snyder, Director of the Israel Museum, added: “As Suzanne prepares to leave her position with us, and after so productive a career here, we are grateful for all that she has accomplished with us in Jerusalem, both in contemporary art and across all of the fine arts. We look forward to seeing her realize her vision in Tel Aviv and to the prospect of extending our strong ties through future collaborations together.”

Suzanne Landau stated: “This appointment is an exciting challenge for me that calls for a rethinking of the Museum’s role not only within the city of Tel Aviv, but also within a national and international context. I look forward to the coordination of activities across the Museum’s three buildings, as well as to working with the Museum’s team to establish a dynamic, up-to-date and inspiring exhibitions program.”