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Mary Ceruti will become the Walker Art Center's new executive director in late January. Ceruti, who currently directs the multi-disciplinary 

 in New York, won praise from the Walker's search committee for her work demonstrating the power of contemporary art.


"Mary's visionary leadership of SculptureCenter, her dedication to supporting the most important emerging artists of our time, and her well-known track record of attracting and developing great talent made her a tailor-made choice to lead the Walker now," Walker Art Center Board President John Christakos said in a statement.

Ceruti said she's excited by the opportunity to lead the Walker and to learn more about how its programs fit within the larger Minnesota arts community.


"And far as exactly what that looks like, I need to understand what all the offerings already are," she said. "You know, who is doing what in the city, to understand what the Walker's contribution can be."


Ceruti succeeds Olga Viso, who stepped down 

 led by the Dakota community over the controversial "Scaffold" sculpture. It incorporated design elements of the gallows used in the mass hanging of tribal members after the U.S. Dakota War of 1862.

Ceruti said an emerging role for arts institutions is dealing with the questions of cultural appropriation in which the Walker is now well versed.

"Because of 'Scaffold,' and the aftermath and all that's happened at the Walker, I think that the Walker has really grappled in a deep way with these questions and how they can perform their role," she said.

A committee of senior staff has been running the Walker while a search committee looked for a new executive director.


Ceruti joined SculptureCenter in 1999. Her career began at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. She later served as program director at the Capp Street Project in San Francisco.

Arts and Culture

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Euan Kerr

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Longtime NYC arts leader Mary Ceruti will assume the leadership of the Walker Art Center a year after the last executive director resigned in the wake of the "Scaffold" controversy.

The Walker Art Center named Mary Ceruti as its new Executive Director.

Ceruti named as incoming Walker Art Center executive director

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