Zoé Whitley has been appointed director of Chisenhale Gallery, a position she will take up in late March 2020. She succeeds Polly Staple, who is moving on to be director of Tate’s collection of British art. Speaking on the appointment, Alice Rawsthorn, Chair of Chisenhale Gallery’s Board of Trustees, said, ‘We are thrilled that Zoé is to be the next director of Chisenhale Gallery. Her exceptional record as a curator and as a champion of cultural diversity and inclusivity equip her brilliantly for the role.’
Whitley leaves the Hayward Gallery, where she is currently senior curator, after ten months. Previously she was at Tate Britain and Tate Modern for over six years, where she lead the curatorial teams in a similar capacity. Before joining Tate, Whitley spent ten years in curatorial roles at the Victoria & Albert Museum, delivering exhibitions and site-specific commissions. In 2019, Whitley was selected by the British Council to curate the British Pavilion at the 58th Venice Biennale.
17 January 2020