Documenta managing director Bernd Leifeld will step down from his post on April 1st, according to an interview with the dpa. Annette Kulenkampff, publisher of noted German art book house Hatje Cantz, will take over the position on June 1st.
Though he says that he leaves the position, “with weeping eyes,” Leifeld steps down of his own volition after leading four Documenta editions. He says that the discussion began four years ago and that Kulenkampff was involved in the selection of Documenta 14 artistic director Adam Szymczyk. Documenta 14 will take place in 2017.
Leifeld’s tenure at Documenta was marked by an ever-increasing international prominence of the quinquennial show as the defining exhibition of contemporary art worldwide.
Visitor numbers have also been consistently on the rise, something Leifeld stresses is integral in being able to fund the often ambitious ideas put forth by each edition’s chosen curator. However, he stresses that while the exhibition’s financial stability is an important point, “The [exhibition’s] economic success is resultant of artistic triumphs.” As for what’s next on Leifeld’s plate, he’ll be making that decision after April 1st.
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