GATESHEAD. Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art announced the appointment of Laurence Sillars in the role of Chief Curator. He will take up the position on Monday 2 November and will lead the curatorial team and work with Baltic’s Director Godfrey Worsdale in the planning of Baltic’s future exhibitions programme.
Speaking today about the appointment Godfrey Worsdale Director of Baltic said: “Following a very rigorous recruitment process I am delighted that Laurence Sillars is to become Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art’s new Chief Curator. Laurence comes highly recommended from his current employer Tate Liverpool and will make a great addition to the Baltic team. Already recognised as an outstanding curator of contemporary art, Laurence brings a wide range of experience gathered in some of the most noted galleries in the UK. His achievements at Tate Liverpool are numerous and it is an exciting time for him to take the lead in what is already a strong curatorial team at Baltic.”
Peter Buchan, Baltic’s Interim Chairman added: “I am very pleased that Baltic has been able to attract a candidate of such a high calibre and I am sure that Laurence will make a significant contribution to the gallery over the coming years. Laurence came through a very strong field to secure this position and will now be able to play an important part in Baltic’s future development.”
Laurence moves to Gateshead from Tate Liverpool where he has been Curator of Exhibitions and Collections for the last five years working on an ambitious international programme of modern and contemporary art. Over the last decade he has realised numerous exhibitions and new commissions with artists from around the world. At Tate, as well as working with the permanent collection, he has curated major exhibitions and projects that have toured to Europe and North America with artists including Bruce Nauman, Glenn Brown, Monica Bonvicini, Omer Fast, Rodney Graham, John Armleder, Toba Khedoori and Teresa Margolles. In 2007 he co-curated the first Turner Prize exhibition to be held outside London, a curtain-raiser for Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture, and is currently co-curating, with renowned British artist Michael Landy, the exhibition Joyous Machines: Michael Landy and Jean Tinguely. Laurence was also part of the curatorial team that delivered the last two Liverpool Biennial International exhibitions and in this capacity was responsible for some 20 new commissions. He was awarded an MA from the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London and has previously worked at the Arts Council Collection, the Whitechapel Gallery and the Chisenhale Gallery, London.
Dr. Christoph Grunenberg, Director, Tate Liverpool commented: “I would like to congratulate Laurence Sillars on his new role as Chief Curator at Baltic. This is a well-deserved appointment that acknowledges his exceptional curatorial abilities and leadership qualities. Over the past seven years, Laurence has made a significant contribution to the Tate Liverpool programme. We hope that with this appointment the relationship between Tate Liverpool and BALTIC will continue to grow, as both organisations continue to thrive as two of the most prominent galleries of modern and contemporary art outside London. We wish Laurence all the best in his new role.”
Laurence Sillars concluded: “It is with great excitement that I take up the post of Chief Curator at Baltic. I have long admired the institution, which has some of the most stunning galleries in the world. I look forward to continuing and extending its position as one of the foremost centres for contemporary art in this country and beyond.”
