AMSTERDAM.- Marc-Olivier Wahler (b. Neuchâtel, 1964) has been appointed as temporary advisor to de Appel arts centre in Amsterdam, as of today. The internationally oriented Swiss has previously been director of contemporary arts institutions including the Palais de Tokyo in Paris (2006 – 2012) and the Swiss Institute in New York (2000 – 2006). In addition to being curator for over 400 exhibitions, he is active as an art critic, guest lecturer, and member of juries and boards of directors, and has many publications and articles in international art journals to his credit. With Wahler's appointment the course of de Appel arts centre will remain unchanged, and this year and next year will continue to follow the lines set out in the 2013 agreements with its funders: the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, and the City of Amsterdam.

Alexandra van Huffelen, chairwoman of the Board of Directors of de Appel arts centre, is ‘pleased that Marc-Olivier Wahler is prepared to support the institution in its on-going programme and in its future artistic development, as launched this past year.' De Appel arts centre was established in 1975, and as such is the oldest non-profit contemporary art institute in The Netherlands. It provides space for a wide spectrum of activities, ranging from exhibitions through diverse public programmes for various target groups, to two professional developmentprogrammes, the Curatorial Programme for (aspiring) curators and the Gallerist Programme, a training programme for (aspiring) gallery owners.

In response to his appointment Marc-Olivier Wahler said: ‘Given its prestigious past, the quality of its current program and its will to reinvent itself, de Appel arts centre has all it takes to play a major role in the rethinking of the institution of tomorrow. I am very pleased to work with de Appel arts centre during this exciting new stage.’ Wahler studied art history and philosophy, and is presently also engaged as the founder/director of the Chalet Society (Paris and Los Angeles), with the Transformer Sculpture Park (Portugal), as co-curator of Le Havre 2017, and as artistic advisor for Contemporary Istanbul. In 2013 he received the Swiss Grand Award / Meret Oppenheim Prize and previously, in 2011, he was named as a Chevalierin the French Republic's Order of Arts and Letters.