Just over three months after the announcement of Nicole Berry’s departure as executive director of the Armory Show, her successor has been named. Effective immediately, Kyla McMillan will lead the New York fair, its owner, Frieze, said.
McMillan has more than 10 years of experience in the art business, having been a director at David Zwirner and Gavin Brown’s Enterprise, and founding Saint George Projects, an itinerant gallery and consultancy that has done projects with artists Alvaro Barrington and Henri Paul Broyard.
“I am honored to join the Armory Show at this important moment in the fair’s history,” McMillan said in a statement.
This time last year, Frieze acquired the fair, along with Expo Chicago. “My goal is to empower collectors and emphasize the fair’s role as a platform for artists, galleries, and art enthusiasts,” the new director added.
The 2023 Armory Show. Photo: Vincent Tullo
This year’s fair, which is slated to take place from September 5 through 8 at New York’s Javits Center, will have 235 galleries, nearly four times as many as participate in Frieze New York in May. One issue McMillan will have to navigate is defining the Armory Show in relation to its smaller but arguably more prestigious sibling, which can boast participation from all four mega galleries.
Kristell Chadé, Frieze’s executive director of fairs, said in a statement that McMillan has a “talent for reaching new audiences and forging meaningful connections with art,” and said that “the appointment strengthens Frieze’s network and solidifies our standing as leaders in the U.S. arts scene.”
The upcoming Armory Show will be the 30th edition. “I look forward to building on the Armory Show’s achievements, while also championing new voices and creating opportunities for diverse perspectives in contemporary art.”