Eugénie Tsai, who since 2007 has been senior curator of contemporary art at the Brooklyn Museum, announced on May 18 via instagram she leaves the institution. Tsai, who oversaw a number of major exhibits during his tenure at the museum, designated June 30 as his last day there.
“All institutions are imperfect, but I can’t think of any other museum where I would have preferred to spend the past 15 years,” she writes. “I love my colleagues, the artists with whom I have had the privilege of working and the wonderful public served by the museum. I was lucky to have stayed healthy and productive during the pandemic. Now I feel the need for rest and reflection.
Tsai arrived at the museum of the PS1 Contemporary Art Center in New York (now MoMA PS1), where she was Director of Curatorial Affairs. During her time at the Brooklyn institution, she gained a reputation for inclusiveness and having a keen eye for emerging artists. Among the shows she hosted were the year-long 2011 series “Raw/Cooked,” showcasing the talents of emerging Brooklyn-based artists; a 2012 exhibition of the work of Mickalene Thomas; and a 2013 LaToya Ruby Frazier show. She was ahead of the curve on all three. Tsai also curated “Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic” in 2015 and the successful exhibition KAWS from 2021. His most recent exhibition, a solo exhibition of the work of twenty-four-year-old Asian American internet artist Oscar yi Hou, is on view through September 17 at the museum.
Although Tsai did not elaborate on her future plans, she acknowledged that she is not stepping away from the art world. “After reloading, my plans include new projects and revisiting some that have been put on the back burner,” she wrote, adding that she would “deep dive back into art and history.”
