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The Biennale of Sydney has announced the appointment of museum director, curator and scholar Jo-Anne Birnie Danzker as its new Director and Chief Executive.

Born and raised in Brisbane, Danzkeras has enjoyed an international career in the United States, Germany and Canada, most recently serving as Director of the Frye Art Museum in Seattle, Washington. Previous positions include Director of the Museum Villa Stuck Munich and Director of the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Announcing the appointment following an extensive national and international search, Biennale of Sydney Chair Kate Mills advised “the selection committee unanimously agreed that Jo-Anne’s leadership skills and experience in directing large-scale international exhibitions and cross-disciplinary curatorial teams will be a tremendous asset to the Biennale of Sydney as it expands its domestic and international presence, strengthens its curatorial voice and builds commissioning partnerships nationally and internationally.’

Welcoming her appointment, Danzker expressed admiration for the accomplishments of the Biennale team and the curatorial vision of Mami Kataoka, Artistic Director of the 2018 Biennale of Sydney, stating “mami’s examination of multiple modernities and competing and colliding values is important and timely.”

Danzker noted that the inaugural Biennale of Sydney took place at the Sydney Opera House, a world heritage site on ancient land known by its traditional custodians – the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation - as the place ‘where the knowledge waters meet’.

She added “for nearly half a century, the Biennale has been a meeting place and a platform for exceptional artists and curators from Australia and around the globe to share their knowledge. I am honoured to join the Biennale team and return to Sydney, one of the most spectacular, culturally vibrant cities in the world.”

Danzker will take on her new role as of 1st July 2017.

The 21st Biennale of Sydney will be presented over 12 weeks from Friday, 16th March until Monday, 11th June 2018.

Image of Jo-Anne Birnie Danzker courtesy of Mark Woods.

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