VADUZ.- At this year’s annual congress in Luxembourg, the International Association of Curators (IKT) elected Friedemann Malsch, director of Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein, as its new president. For the three-year duration of the presidency, Liechtenstein will serve as the official seat of the association.

The IKT is the sole international professional association for independent and institutional curators. Founded over 40 years ago, its members have included such pioneering figures as Harald Szeeman (†), Jean-Christophe Ammann, Christoph Vitali, Nicolaus Schaffhausen and Saskia Bos. The organisation consists primarily of curators from Europe, with increasing numbers from North and South America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. The some 500 members feature independent curators along with curators from public institutions. Liechtenstein already hosted the annual congress once before in 2007. Friedemann Malsch is taking over the presidency from Enrico Lunghi, director of the MUDAM (Musée d’Art Moderne, Luxembourg).

The 2011 annual congress took place in Luxembourg and Metz (F). The 140 participating curators visited museums and other exhibitions spaces within the region, discussed topics related to the mediation of art and held regular elections for the presidency and the board. Friedemann Malsch will work together with the newly elected board comprised of the following individuals: Friedemann Malsch (Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein, Liechtenstein; President), Zoë Gray (Witte de With Netherlands – Center for Contemporary Art, Rotterdam, Netherlands; Vice President), Stephen Foster (John Hansard Gallery, University of Southampton, UK; Treasurer), Miguel Amado (Curator, Tate Gallery, St Ives, GB), Ferran Barenblit (Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo – CA2M, Madrid, Spain), Kati Kivinen (Museum of Contemporary Art KIASMA, Helsinki, Finland), and Chantal Pontbriand (consultant, art critic and curator, London, UK).