I already tweeted this earlier today, but because a lot of folks may want to comment on this, I'm just going to repost the Power Plant's press release from this morning about director Gregory Burke's resignation. Says the press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 8, 2011
Gregory Burke, Director of The Power Plant, today announced that he will leave his position at the end of May, 2011, after close to six years in the role.
On joining The Power Plant in 2005, Burke immediately set in place the development of a five year strategic plan, adopted in 2006. Under that plan, Burke led a broad range of ambitious initiatives to develop The Power Plant and increase awareness of its internationally significant programs. In 2006, Burke launched All Summer, All Free, a program providing free admission to tens of thousands of visitors to The Power Plant. This program, combined with other new public programs, has led to The Power Plant increasing visitation by more than 250% during Burke’s tenure. The Power Plant annual commissioning program was also launched by Burke in 2006, with the aim of realizing major new projects of international significance. Since then outstanding projects have been commissioned from Rafeal Lozanno-Hemmer, Simon Starling, Lawrence Weiner, Scott Lyall, Candice Breitz, Ian Wallace and Pae White.
In 2007, Burke initiated, with the Gallery’s Board of Directors, a highly successful 20th anniversary fundraising campaign. The highlight was the record-breaking 20/20 dinner and auction that featured major donated works by leading international artists, such as Christopher Williams, Francesco Vezzoli, Stan Douglas, Liam Gillick and General Idea. Burke also implemented many other new initiatives working with The Power Plant staff and Board including the annual Face to Face fundraising dinner, the bi-annual magazine of The Power Plant SWITCH and Power Talks, which brought many leading figures from the world of contemporary art to Toronto, including Hou Hanru, Jerry Saltz, Fumio Nanjo, Iwona Blazwick, Anton Vidokle, Thea Westreich and Thomas Crow.
Over the last five years Burke’s vision has also driven the international and critically acclaimed exhibition program of The Power Plant, with many of the exhibitions being curated by Mr. Burke including Fiona Banner: The Bastard Word, Auto Emotion: Autobiography, emotion and self-fashioning, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Pulse Front: Relational Architecture 12, Francesco Vezzoli: A True Hollywood Story!, Simon Starling: Cuttings (Supplement), Scott Lyall: The Color Ball, Goldin + Senneby: Headless, LAWRENCE WEINER: THE OTHER SIDE OF A CUL- DE-SAC, Universal Code: Art and Cosmology in the Information Age, Candice Breitz: Same Same, Recent Snow: Michael Snow, Peter Campus: Reflections and Inflections, Ian Wallace: The Economy of the Image, and Pae White: Material Mutters.
In 2009 Burke began developing and fundraising for The Power Plant Access Project that will deliver in 2011 a new reception and lobby designed by KPMB architects, new website, new visual identity, new signage and new communications and publications programs. The project is the most significant capital development since the 1987 opening of The Power Plant. It will be launched to the public on 10 March, 2011, along with the spring exhibitions, including those Burke curated by Thomas Hirschhorn and Iñigo Manglano Ovalle. Burke will continue as Director of The Power Plant until the conclusion of these exhibitions in late May.
William J.S Boyle, Chief Executive of Harbourfront Centre and Shanitha Kachan, President of The Power Plant Board said: “Greg has made many important contributions to the growing international stature of The Power Plant during his tenure as Director. On behalf of Harbourfront Centre and the Board of The Power Plant we extend our appreciation to Greg for his significant accomplishments on our behalf and wish him well in his new endeavours.”
What do you think? Obviously the talk by new PP curator Melanie O'Brian, scheduled for tonight at the Drake Hotel, will be even more well (or excitingly) attended as a result. I won't be able to make it, but look forward to reports.
(Image of the Power Plant smokestack by Xavier Snelgrove/wxs via Wikimedia Commons)
