Rey is currently director of the Musées de Marseille; he takes up the new role in October
Xavier Rey has been named the incoming director of the Centre Pompidou. Currently the director of the Musées de Marseille, Rey will take up the new role in October – the appointment follows the recent departure of the Pompidou’s director Bernard Blistène.
Pompidou’s newly-appointed president Laurent Le Bon said: ‘His dynamism, goodwill, experience on the ground, and his openness to the arts, combined with his managerial skills, will be essential in order to conduct the Centre Pompidou’s new project successfully.’
Prior to his post at the Musées de Marseille, Rey was director of collections at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris. His appointment at the Pompidou precedes a lengthy renovation project which will see the museum close its doors for four years.
Last month, the Centre Pompidou’s Brussels satellite space Kanal-Centre Pompidou was hit by controversy, when the institution’s board attempted to overturn the appointment via an independent jury of Kasia Redzisz as artistic director and insist that she share the role with Blistène. Following a backlash, the board u-turned and confirmed Redzisz as artistic director with Blistène joining in an as-yet unnamed role.
