Agustín Pérez Rubio appointed Artistic Director
Malba – Fundación Costantini
Avda. Figueroa Alcorta 3415
Buenos Aires
Argentina
Hours: Thursday–Monday noon–8pm,
Wednesday noon–9pm
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prensa [at] malba.org.ar
www.malba.org.ar
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Malba – Fundación Costantini announces the appointment of Agustín Pérez Rubio (b. 1972, Valencia, Spain) as Malba’s Artistic Director. An internationally acclaimed historian and curator, Pérez Rubio will be responsible for the museum’s collection and new acquisitions, as well as the program of exhibitions. He will also supervise the publications, education, cultural outreach, film, and literature programs.
Regarding the appointment, Eduardo F. Costantini, Founder and President of Malba, states: “The appointment of an artistic director reflects Malba’s comprehensive and organic vision. It is a strategic choice geared to consolidate the museum’s future and strengthen its ties to the world with a program sensitive to the problems and challenges posed by the twenty-first century. On this basis, and pursuant to an exhaustive search, we have chosen Agustín Pérez Rubio due to his sound academic background and vision of contemporary art from Latin America and the world at large. His great leadership skills and experience managing museum collections and coordinating teams is matched by a wealth of experience in the areas of curating and education and proven ability to implement innovative public programs.”
For over ten years, Pérez Rubio was at the helm of MUSAC, the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla y León in Spain, first as the museum’s Chief Curator (2003–2008) and then as its Director (2009–2013). Through that experience, coupled with his more recent work as a freelance curator, Pérez Rubio has cultivated an extensive network of relationships with international museums and institutions, as well as curators, artists, and academics.
With this appointment, Malba fills the position of Artistic Director, vacant since Marcelo E. Pacheco left the institution in June 2013 after having served as its Chief Curator for ten years.
Thirteen years after the founding of Malba, the incorporation of Pérez Rubio marks the beginning of a new era. His appointment is one in a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening the museum’s structure as it tackles new projects, such as the expansion of the museum’s premises and an ever greater commitment to the pursuit of a public and plural institutional model.
As part of this strategy, a new Executive Director will be appointed in the coming months to assist Pérez Rubio at the helm of the institution. A Committee of Art and Science will also be formed. Its members will include outstanding international professionals (curators, critics, and directors of other institutions), and its aim will be to assist the museum’s leadership in devising the museum’s program of exhibitions, supervising its collection and new acquisitions, and strengthening its ties with other museums.
Agustín Pérez Rubio states: “It is an honor for me to come to Buenos Aires and form part of this new and important stage in Malba’s development. I have watched as Malba—a point of reference not only in Latin America, but the world over—has grown. The opportunity to work with the wonderful collection this museum houses, to expand even further its exhibition program and holdings, and to take part in designing its future is both a challenge and a pleasure. Today more than ever, it is essential that Malba form part of the city and of the plural artistic network found in Latin America—a region whose cultural wealth is without rival in so many areas. I am eager to begin working with this important institution and its teams of professionals, and to collaborate with all the other relevant players in the city of Buenos Aires.”
Agustín Pérez Rubio will begin working with Malba’s team on the museum’s programming immediately. Starting on August 1, he will move to Buenos Aires to work at the museum full-time.
CV
Pérez Rubio was born in Valencia, Spain in 1972. He has a degree in art history from the Universidad de Valencia. He has curated over ninety exhibitions at venues like the Museo Nacional Reina Sofía in Madrid, Mucsarnok in Budapest, Centro Gallego de Arte Contemporáneo in Santiago de Compostela, SantralIstanbul in Istanbul, the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Buenos Aires, Chalottenborg Kunsthalle in Copenhagen, and Espai d’Art Contemporani de Castelló in Castellón; and in events like the 50th Venice Biennale, the 9th Nicaraguan Visual Arts Biennial, and Secs Pompeia – Videobrasil in São Paulo.
In his outstanding work as curator of MUSAC, he organized monographic exhibitions of major artists like Pierre Huyghe, Julie Mehretu, Dora García, Pipiloti Rist, Sejima + Nishizawa / SANAA, Elmgreen and Dragset, Harun Farocki, Dave Muller, Ana Laura Aláez, Ugo Rondinone, Azucena Vietes, Lara Almarcegui, and others. He co-curated, along with Octavio Zaya and María Inés Rodríguez, MODEL KITS. Pensar Latinoamérica, a large exhibition of works from the MUSAC collection. His recent curatorial projects include solo shows by artists such as SUPERFLEX, Sophie Calle, Nestor Sanmiguel Diest, Rosangela Rennó, Carlos Garaicoa, and others.
He conceived of RADAR, MUSAC’s newspaper on art and thought, which he co-founded and directed. He was also the director of that institution’s AA (Art and Architecture) book series. He has written a number of books on art as well as exhibition catalogues; he has contributed to a great many art publications. He has directed countless seminars, workshops, and conferences, and given lectures himself at many international symposia.
