Renaissance Society Names Solveig Ovstebo Executive Director

Chicago's Renaissance Society has named Solveig Øvstebø its new executive director, effective June 2013. Øvstebø is currently director at Norway's Bergen Kunsthall. She replaces Suzanne Ghez, who is retiring after serving as executive director since 1974.

Øvstebø has been director at Bergen Kunsthall since 2003, curating or co-curating exhibitions of artists including Richard Tuttle (2012), Christopher Williams (2011), Sergej Jensen (2008), and Elmgreen & Dragset (2005). She also has taught art theory and art history at the academies of Helsinki, Finland, and Bergen, Norway.

The executive director is the chief curator at the Society, as well as overseeing the museum's overall management and managing a staff of eight. Between 1990 and 2000 alone, 22 artists had their first U.S. institutional solos at the Society. Artists including Isa Genzken, Luc Tuymans and Jeff Wall have had their first major U.S. solos there.