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Whitechapel Gallery has appointed art historian, curator and writer Gilane Tawadros as its new Director. Tawadros will take up her post in October 2022.
Tawadros is currently Chief Executive of Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS), a not-for-profit visual artists’ rights management organisation. She was previously the founding Director of the Institute of International Visual Arts (Iniva).
She takes over the role from Iwona Blazwick, who decided to step down as Director after 20 years, in April 2022. Blazwick is now an independent curator working on a wide range of international projects. Tawadros will be Whitechapel Gallery’s tenth Director.
Upon her appointment, Tawadros said: ‘As a passionate advocate for the critical value of art and artists to everyone in society, I am thrilled to have this opportunity to lead one of the world’s most pioneering cultural institutions. Cultural diversity, access and inclusivity are abiding concerns for me that underpin a desire to make contemporary art and the art gallery central to all our lives’.
Chair of Whitechapel Gallery Trustees, Dr David Dibosa, said: ‘I am overjoyed that Gilane Tawadros will lead Whitechapel Gallery in the next stage of its history. Gilane has a compelling vision and brings decades of experience to help make this a reality.