The Director of the Art Gallery of Western Australia, Alan Dodge, will retire from his position later this year after 11 years service, Culture and Arts Minister Sheila McHale announced today.
The Director of the Art Gallery of Western Australia, Alan Dodge, will retire from his position later this year after 11 years service, Culture and Arts Minister Sheila McHale announced today.
The full text of a ministerial announcement is pasted below
Culture and Arts Minister Sheila McHale has announced Art Gallery of Western Australia Director, Alan Dodge, will retire from his position later this year.
Ms McHale commended Mr Dodge on 11 years of excellent service to the gallery and his numerous achievements.
"Alan Dodge has accomplished much during his tenure and he will leave very big shoes to fill," Ms McHale said.
"He has raised the gallery's standing locally, nationally and internationally and worked to lift the collection's strength in ways such as profiling more indigenous art.
"This is a time of celebration of Alan's many achievements."
Mr Dodge said he had worked hard to build on the strengths of the Art Gallery's collection and to bring world-class exhibitions to Perth.
"I am particularly proud of the exhibitions 'Monet & Japan', 'From Russia With Love', 'Edge of Desire', 'St Petersburg 1900' and 'Boundless'," Mr Dodge said.
"Most recently, the gallery has opened 'Egyptian Antiquities from the Louvre: Journey to the Afterlife', which attracted 2,000 people a day on its first weekend."
Mr Dodge said that although he was retiring, he was eager to take on projects of a different nature and develop himself in the richest way possible.
"I shall always have an interest in the gallery and Perth and will offer support where I can," Mr Dodge said.
"One should always know when it is time to step down and do something else and for me that time has come."
Chair of the Art Gallery's Board, Helen Cook said the community had benefited from the deep curatorial skills and international relationships Mr Dodge had brought to the gallery.
"He has guided his team in intelligently enhancing and interpreting the State collection and has been a warm and inspirational artistic leader for our staff and the community," Ms Cook said.
"Importantly, Alan has built a world-class team and put in motion some exciting future plans for the gallery for the benefit of Western Australians."
Ms McHale said Mr Dodge would leave in December.
"I wish Alan all the best for the future. I am sure he won't ever be far away from the cultural life of Perth," Ms McHale said.
