Bloomberg New Contemporaries Announce Director

New Contemporaries today announce Kirsty Ogg as Director. She will take up her appointment on 16 December 2013.

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New Contemporaries is the UK’s foremost annual arts initiative, offering critical support and exposure to recent graduates and final year students from British Art Schools at a crucial stage in their development, through its high-profile exhibition. Marking its 65th anniversary in 2014, as Director, Kirsty Ogg will drive the programme celebrating this important milestone and shape the organisation’s future development.

Kirsty Ogg has been Curator at the Whitechapel Gallery, London since 2009, curating exhibitions including Claire Barclay’s Bloomberg Commission: Shadow Spans, Gerard Byrne’s mid-career survey A state of neutral pleasure, and an historical exhibition of Karl Blossfeldt’s photography. She was also responsible for the re-launch of the Whitechapel Gallery’s triennial open submission exhibition as The London Open.

Known for her support and work with emerging and mid-career artists, as former Director of The Showroom, London, Kirsty Ogg worked with artists including Subodh Gupta, Richard Hughes, Jim Lambie, Daria Martin and Eva Rothschild, presenting their first solo shows in London. She was also part of the organising committee of Transmission Gallery, Glasgow, before joining Norwich Gallery, Norwich School of Art & Design and independently curated a number of shows working with artists including Spartacus Chetwynd, Karen Kilimnik, Mike Nelson, Thomas Schütte, David Shrigley and Cathy Wilkes. Having taught extensively, she is currently Lecturer on the MFA Curating course at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Sacha Craddock, chair of New Contemporaries commented, ‘Kirsty Ogg is widely respected and is acknowledged as having worked with and supported a huge range of artists, providing a critical programme in the UK from which artists are recognised nationally and internationally. Informed in emerging practices and ideas and bringing many years of experience, we are thrilled that she is joining us as we mark the 65th anniversary of New Contemporaries’.

Kirsty Ogg added, ‘I am delighted to take up the position as Director of Bloomberg New Contemporaries which has become a highly anticipated platform for emerging talent. I very much look forward to being a part of its future and presenting our annual exhibition to diverse audiences across the UK’.

Peter Heslip, Director, Visual Arts and London, Arts Council England, added ‘New Contemporaries has a long track record providing early career artists with their first break. Throughout her career including projects at both the Whitechapel Gallery and The Showroom, Kirsty Ogg has demonstrated a commitment to collaborating with living artists. It is a promising moment for both New Contemporaries and Kirsty.’