Valerie Hillings is the new inaugural director of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. This appointment arrives shortly after the museum confirmed its official opening date for this December. Hillings is no stranger to the institution as she previously served as the associate director of curatorial affairs for the museum project from 2009 to 2018.
Hillings comes to the role after leading the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh for the past eight years. During her time there, she focused on diversifying the collection by acquiring more works by women, minority artists, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Her work also included reinterpreting the museum holdings through the lens of public accessibility.
Her history with the Guggenheim Foundation dates back to 2004 when she started on the curatorial team in Manhattan. In 2009, she began the work of developing the collection for the Abu Dhabi site in partnership with the city’s Department of Culture and Tourism. The museum plans to showcase art movements from 1960 onward.
This appointment coincides with ongoing criticism of the project. Activists have highlighted the forced labor conditions faced by migrant workers during the construction of the museum on Saadiyat Island. The site has faced years of protests and calls for boycotts directed at the Guggenheim Foundation regarding these human rights issues. As the museum prepares to open, the leadership transition marks a significant shift for the institution.