Meet the Curators of the Next “Made in LA”

The Hammer Museum has named Michael Wellen and José Luis Blondet as the curators for the eighth edition of its Made in L.A. biennial. Wellen joined the Hammer this past April as chief curator following his tenure at the Tate Modern. Blondet brings deep regional expertise as a senior curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, alongside thirteen years of experience at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The exhibition is scheduled to open in the fall of 2027.

Leadership transitions continue at the Tate, where Jessica Morgan will step into the role of director in 2027. Morgan moves to the British institution after leading the Dia Art Foundation for over a decade, where she focused on collection expansion and facility renovations. She succeeds Maria Balshaw, who held the position for nine years before her departure this past spring.

The broader art landscape saw several notable appointments and institutional milestones this week. Ainsley M. Cameron joined the Block Museum of Art as associate director of curatorial affairs, while Ferran Barenblit received the appointment of chief curator for the 16th Shanghai Biennale. Additionally, the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture in Chicago achieved accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums, marking a significant milestone for Latine cultural institutions.

Technological integration also made headlines as the Metropolitan Museum of Art launched an initiative in collaboration with Ask Mona. Visitors can now interact with AI-driven statues of saints by scanning QR codes throughout the American Wing. These models, trained on data from curators and conservators, allow guests to ask questions about the sculptures and museum history. The project marks a distinct shift in how visitors engage with historical objects within a major museum setting.