ADELAIDE.- Art Gallery of South Australia Director Nick Mitzevich today announced the appointment of Leigh Robb as the Gallery’s inaugural Curator of Contemporary Art and Rebecca Evans as the Gallery’s new Curator of European and Australian Decorative Arts.

Mr Mitzevich said that the appointment of two highly regarded interstate curators, one from Perth and the other from Sydney, signals the high regard for the Art Gallery of South Australia and its collection nationally. The new position of Curator of Contemporary Art acknowledges the work the Gallery has undertaken in this area and firmly points to its vision for the future.

‘Contemporary art at the Art Gallery of South Australia is the doorway into the past and the bridge to the future. Our acquisition of works of art by contemporary Australian and international artists has been a firm focus for the past five years and Leigh Robb’s experience in the field will enhance this strategic direction.’

Ms Robb says, ‘It’s an honour to be appointed to this inaugural position. The Gallery has a reputation for championing brave contemporary initiatives. I can’t wait to work with the team to create new opportunities for the local, Australian and international artists of our time, curate exciting commissioning projects and further activate the collection.’

Robb has extensive knowledge of both Australian and international contemporary art. During her six year tenure as Curator at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA) she curated over 30 exhibitions. Prior to this she held positions at the Thomas Dane Gallery, London and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice.

‘During her time in Western Australia Robb demonstrated a passionate commitment to both artists and audiences. Her dedication to local artists was balanced with a global perspective on the contemporary, we eagerly await her arrival,’ Mitzevich said.

The appointment of a new Decorative Arts curator follows the departure of Robert Reason, who has taken up the role of Senior Curator at the The David Roche Foundation House Museum. Assistant Curator at the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences (formerly the Powerhouse Museum) since 2009, Evans has worked on exhibitions including Love Lace, A Fine Possession: Jewellery and Identity and an exhibition of Australian colonial dress that opens at the MAAS in mid-2016.

Ms Evans says she is thrilled to be joining the dynamic team at the Art Gallery of South Australia. ‘I am very excited to work with and continue to build the Gallery’s exquisite holdings of decorative arts. I look forward to establishing new relationships with makers, collectors and patrons and work collaboratively with the Gallery team to produce inspiring, interdisciplinary programs and exhibitions.’

Both curators will commence their positions at the Art Gallery of South Australia in February 2016.