{{short description|Austrian art historian and business manager}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Max Hollein |image = Max Hollein in the Staedel Museum (cropped).jpg |caption = Hollein at the opening of the Monet exhibition in the Städel Museum in 2015 |office1 = Director and CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art |term_start1 = July 2023 |term_end1 = |predecessor1 = |successor1 = |office2 = Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art |term_start2 = 2018 |term_end2 = |predecessor2 = Thomas P. Campbell |successor2 = |office3 = Director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco |term_start3 = 2016 |term_end3 = 2018 |predecessor3 = |successor3 = |office4 = Director and CEO of Städel Museum, Liebieghaus, Schirn Kunsthalle |term_start4 = 2006 |term_end4 = 2016 |predecessor4 = |successor4 = |office5 = Director of Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt |term_start5 = 2001 |term_end5 = 2006 |predecessor5 = |successor5 = <!-- Personal --> |birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1969|07|07}} |birth_place = Vienna, Austria |death_date = |death_place = |father = Hans Hollein |relatives = {{ill|Lilli Hollein|de}} (sister) |education = |alma_mater = University of Vienna <br /> Vienna University of Economics }} '''Max Hollein''' (born 7 July 1969)<ref name="Göpfert">{{cite news |last=Göpfert |first=Claus-Jürgen |date=14 June 2019 |title=Max Hollein erhält die Goethe-Plakette in Frankfurt |url=https://www.fr.de/frankfurt/knallharte-verbindlichkeit-12419190.html |work=Frankfurter Rundschau |location=Frankfurt |language=de |access-date=6 September 2019}}</ref> is an Austrian art historian and the CEO and Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.<ref>[https://www.metmuseum.org/press/news/2022/max-hollein-ceo-announcement ''Max Hollein, Director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, to Add Chief Executive Officer Role in July 2023''], Website Metropoliatain Museum of Art, August 3, 2022</ref> He was Director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco from July 2016,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://theartnewspaper.com/news/museums/leading-german-museum-director-max-hollein-heads-to-san-francisco/|title=Leading German museum director, Max Hollein, heads to San Francisco New director of Fine Arts Museums brought experience of running three Frankfurt institutions|last=Halperin|first=Julia|date=23 March 2016|website=theartnewspaper.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160323053325/http://theartnewspaper.com/news/museums/leading-german-museum-director-max-hollein-heads-to-san-francisco/|archive-date=23 March 2016|url-status=dead|access-date=22 May 2016}}</ref> until April 2018, when the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced that Hollein would become its 10th director.<ref name=Pogrebin>Robin Pogrebin (10 April 2018), [https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/10/arts/design/met-museum-director-max-hollein.html The Met Goes Beyond Its Doors to Pick a Leader Who Bridges Art and Technology] ''New York Times''.</ref>
Hollein oversaw both the de Young and the Legion of Honor museums, which together are the seventh most-visited art institutions in the United States, with 1.4 million visitors in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://theartnewspaper.com/reports/visitor-figures-2016/christo-helps-1-2-million-people-to-walk-on-water/|title=Visitor figures 2016: Christo helps 1.2 million people to walk on water While the Whitney breaks the hold of New York's Met and MoMA|last1=Pes |first1=Javier |last2=Silva |first2=José da |last3=Sharpe |first3=Emily |date=29 March 2017|website=theartnewspaper.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170412143718/http://theartnewspaper.com/reports/visitor-figures-2016/christo-helps-1-2-million-people-to-walk-on-water/|archive-date=12 April 2017|url-status=dead|access-date=22 May 2017}}</ref> Hollein joined the Fine Arts Museums in July 2016 from his position as the director of Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, Städel Museum<ref>[http://artdaily.com/news/13551/Max-Hollein-Becomes-Director-of-the-Stadel/ "Max Hollein Becomes Director of the Stadel"], ''Art Daily'', accessed on 8 April 2015.</ref> and the Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung.
== Life == Hollein was born in Vienna in 1969 to architect Hans Hollein and Helene Hollein. He studied art history at the University of Vienna and business administration at the Vienna University of Economics. During this period, he also free-lanced for the business section of the national daily newspaper "Der Standard". In 1995, following the successful completion of his studies with two master's degrees, one in art history and the other in business administration, he moved to New York City to take on the position of project director of exhibitions at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York.
From 1996 until the end of 2000, he worked closely with Guggenheim director Thomas Krens, initially as "Executive Assistant to the Director" and, from 1998 onward, as "Chief of Staff and Manager of European Relations" responsible for key projects such as the establishment of the exhibition halls "Deutsche Guggenheim Berlin" and "Guggenheim Las Vegas". He was also involved in fundraising, travelling exhibitions, the inauguration activities at Guggenheim Bilbao as well as liaising with European cultural institutions, collectors, media, curators and sponsors.
== Career == ===Schirn Kunsthalle===
From 2001 to 2016, Hollein was the director of the Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt.<ref>[https://news.artnet.com/art-world/max-hollein-san-francisco-museums-456713 Frankfurt Museums Director Max Hollein to Head Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco], ''Artnet'', 23 March 2016.</ref> He repositioned the Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt nationally as well as internationally through a highly popular yet challenging exhibition programme from classical to contemporary art mounting up to ten major shows per year. The depth, quality and quantity of the programme has been accompanied by a significant increase in corporate funding. Among the highlights of the programme have been exhibitions such as "Shopping: A Century of Art and Consumer Culture", "Henri Matisse: Drawing with Scissors", "Yves Klein", "The Naked Truth: Klimt, Egon Schiele, Kokoschka and Other Scandals", "Women Impressionists" and "Edvard Munch. The Modern Eye". With projects such as "Playing the City 3" or "Street Art Brazil", he expanded his programming into urban spaces of Frankfurt.<ref>[https://www.focus.de/kultur/kunst/kunst-bunte-strassen-street-art-brazil-in-frankfurt_id_3166373.html Bunte Straßen: Street-Art Brazil in Frankfurt], ''Focus (magazine)'', accessed on 13 November 2013 (German).</ref> At the Schirn, his frequent collaborator was noted art historian Olivier Berggruen. In 2007 Hollein advocated against the demolition of the Schirn Rotunda and instead initiated a commission series with contemporary artists like Barbara Kruger, Ayse Erkmen, Rosa Barba or Heather Phillipson to create site specific works at the rotunda.<ref>[https://www.faz.net/aktuell/rhein-main/frankfurt/abriss-der-schirn-rotunde-nicht-koalitionsfaehig-1434901.html ''Abriss der Schirn-Rotunde „nicht koalitionsfähig"''], Frankfurter Allhgemeine Zeitung, accessed on 2 July 2022 (German).</ref> Its online and digital outreach has been significantly advanced and the Schirn publishes its own wide-reaching online magazine [http://www.schirn-magazin.de/en/)) "Schirn Mag"] since 2011. 2014, Hollein opened the Minishirn – a creative space for children.<ref>[https://www.faz.net/aktuell/feuilleton/familie/kinderbetreuung-in-der-kunsthalle-minischirn-13354570.html ''Warum Ausstellungen langweilig sind und wo man die besten Höhlen baut''], Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Retrieved 2 July 2022</ref><ref>[https://www.german-design-award.com/en/the-winners/gallery/detail/5961-minischirn-spiel-und-lernparcours-in-der-schirn-kunsthalle-frankfurt.html MINISCHIRN – Spiel- und Lernparcours in der Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt], Website German Design Award, accessed on 29 June 2022 (German).</ref> By 2019, the Schirn had attracted more than 8.8 million visitors to over 240 exhibitions. For many years now, the Schirn has been the most popular art institution in the Rhine-Main region.<ref>[https://www.mutualart.com/Organization/SCHIRN-Kunsthalle-Frankfurt/3D3065C0773FFD13 SCHIRN Kunsthalle Frankfurt], mutualart.com, accessed on 29 June 2022.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Bui|first=Phong|date=8 September 2020|title=MAX HOLLEIN with Phong H. Bui|url=https://brooklynrail.org/2020/09/art/MAX-HOLLEIN-with-Phong-H-Bui|access-date=9 September 2020|website=The Brooklyn Rail|language=en-US}}</ref> In 2012 the Schirn had its best-attended year so far with a total of 479,121 visitors.<ref name=historic>[http://schirn.de/Binaries/Binary15068/Trias_Press_Attendance_Records_2012_logo.pdf/#/HistoricAttendanceRecords ''Historic Attendance Records''], Press Release by Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, accessed on 8 April 2015 (broken link)</ref>
===Städel Museum===
In addition to his directorship at the Schirn, Hollein became the Director and CEO of the Städel Museum in 2006.<ref>{{cite news |title=Städel-Direktor Hollein wechselt nach San Francisco |url=https://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/museen-staedel-direktor-hollein-wechselt-nach-san-francisco-dpa.urn-newsml-dpa-com-20090101-160323-99-324906 |access-date=3 July 2022 |work=dpa |agency=Sueddeutsche Zeitung}}</ref> At the Städel Museum, Hollein introduced a wide spectrum of new exhibition formats. Hollein realised major exhibitions on the Old Masters, including "Cranach the Elder", "The Master of Flémalle and Rogier van der Weyden", and "From Titian to Tiepolo", "Botticelli", and "Albrecht Dürer" and "Maniera", as well as significant retrospectives on modern masters such as Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Max Beckmann.<ref>[https://www.nzz.ch/feuilleton/botticelli-maler-der-supermodels-der-renaissance-ld.1654102 ''Mit seinen blonden Supermodels erzog Botticelli Männer zu besseren Menschen''], Neue Züricher Zeitung, accessed on 4 July 2022</ref><ref>[https://www.artnews.com/feature/young-museum-directors-10325/ Museum Directors Under 40: A Brief History of 20 Young Leaders Who Helped Shape Their Institutions], ARTnews, accessed on 4 July 2022</ref> Under Hollein, special emphasis was also given to the development of the collection: between 2006 and 2012 more than 1,500 works were added to the collection, including previously underrepresented media such as photographs, and works by female artists. He expanded the Städel its holdings of contemporary art and started organizing exhibitions on contemporary artists such as Piero Manzoni and, John Baldessari, or and "Georg Baselitz: The Heroes".<ref>{{cite news |title=Georg Baselitz: "Helden" im Städelmuseum |url=https://www.dw.com/de/georg-baselitz-helden-im-st%C3%A4delmuseum/a-19368657 |access-date=3 July 2022 |agency=Deutsche Welle}}</ref> Among the most significant projects worthy of mention in this context was the major expansion of the Städel Museum completed in 2012 which doubled the institution's gallery space and created a new wing for the presentation of art since 1945.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mishkin |first1=Naomi |title=The Staedel Museum adds a contemporay Wing |url=https://www.artnews.com/art-in-america/features/staedel-contemporary-wing-58751/ |access-date=3 July 2022 |agency=Art in America}}</ref> Both the architecture as well as the significant collection development were hailed by the public and the media. More than 50 percent of the 52 million euro construction costs were raised through private sources in an unprecedented fundraising campaign. The Städel was honoured as "Museum of the Year 2012" by the German art critics association AICA in 2012.<ref>[http://aica.de/auszeichnungen/museum-des-jahres/2012-das-staedel-museum-frankfurt-am-main.html/#/Aica ''Aica''], accessed on 8 April 2015</ref> In the same year, the museum recorded its highest ever attendance numbers, with 447,395 visitors.<ref name=historic/> To mark the 200th anniversary of the Städel in 2015, Hollein significantly expanded the museum's reach with the launch of new digital education formats, such as [https://onlinekurs.staedelmuseum.de/en/ Art History Online] and [https://cafedeutschland.staedelmuseum.de/ Café Deutschland]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pogrebin |first1=Robin |title=The Met Goes Beyond Its Doors to Pick a Leader Who Bridges Art and Technology |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/10/arts/design/met-museum-director-max-hollein.html |access-date=3 July 2022 |agency=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>[https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/online-kurs-moderne-kunstgeschichte-endlich-kunst-verstehen-100.html Endlich Kunst verstehen!] Deutschlandfunk, 4 April 2016 (German).</ref><ref>[http://www.dw.de/st%C3%A4del-museum-20/av-18340269/ "Städel Museum 2.0"] (29 March 2015), Deutsche Welle.</ref>
===Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung===
Under Hollein's directorship, from 2006 to 2016,<ref>[https://www.faz.net/aktuell/rhein-main/staedel-leiter-max-hollein-wechselt-zum-fine-arts-museums-14142736.html ''Max Hollein wechselt nach San Francisco''], Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, accessed on 8 July 2022 (German)</ref> the Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung underwent the greatest reorganisation of its infrastructure since 1990. The Art of Ancient Egypt and Antiquities, Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque to Neoclassicism as well as the "studioli" on the top floor of the museum villa were newly installed under his tenure and reopened in 2008 with an entirely new color and lighting concept. Funding for this major renovation came to a large extent from private and corporate sources. Exhibitions such as "Sahure – Death and Life of a Great Pharaoh", "Gods in Color ", "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt" were received with unprecedented attention. "Gods in Color" underlines the museum's leading role in polychromy research and became a traveling exhibition with more than 20 venues, including the Ny Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek Copenhagen, Vatican Museums Rome, Archeological Museum Istanbul, Getty Villa Los Angeles, or Palacio de las Bellas Artes Mexico.<ref>[https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/ausstellung-bunte-goetter-in-frankfurt-farbenfrohe-antike-100.html Farbenfrohe Antike], Deutschlandfunk Kultur, accessed on 7 July 2022 (German)</ref> Of note was also the exhibition "Jeff Koons: The Sculptor", as part of the two-part survey together with the Schirn Kunsthalle. In the presentation at the Liebieghaus, both world-renowned and new sculptural works by Koons entered into a dialogue with the historic building and its collection spanning 5,000 years of sculpture.<ref>[https://www.spiegel.de/kultur/gesellschaft/jeff-koons-ausstellungen-in-basel-und-frankfurt-a-832748.html Engel, Sex und Sau], Der Spiegel, accessed on 7 July 2022 (German)</ref>
In 2012 the Liebieghaus had 153,737 visitors, making it the best attended year in the history of the institution.<ref>[http://www.liebieghaus.de/lh/index.php?StoryID=510/#/liebieghaus ''Jeff Koons Liebieghaus''], Website by Liebieghaus, accessed on 8 April 2015</ref>
=== Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco ===
Hollein assumed the role of Director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco on 1 June 2016.<ref name="NYT20160322">{{cite news|author1=Jori Finkel|title=Fine Arts Museums in San Francisco Picks Max Hollein as Next Director|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/23/arts/fine-arts-museums-in-san-francisco-picks-max-hollein-as-next-director.html|accessdate=23 March 2016|work=The New York Times|date=22 March 2016|quote=In a surprising move, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco has gone beyond the United States for its next director, hiring Max Hollein away from the Städel Museum in Frankfurt.}}</ref><ref name=Chron>Catherine Bigelow (27 June 2016) [https://www.sfchronicle.com/style/article/A-fine-welcome-for-Fine-Arts-Museums-new-chief-8327966.php "A fine welcome for Fine Arts Museums' new chief"], ''San Francisco Chronicle''.</ref> In this capacity, he managed an operating budget of $60 million and over 500 employees.<ref name=Pogrebin/>
During his time in office, Hollein instituted a major restructuring of the museum organization and added the institution's first contemporary curator; Claudia Schmuckli.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/art/article/New-Contemporary-Curator-for-Fine-Arts-Museums-8348611.php|title=Claudia Schmuckli appointed curator for Fine Arts Museums|work=SFGate|access-date=22 May 2017}}</ref> He also successfully launched a contemporary art initiative, bringing the work of living artists into dialogue with the buildings and collections of the de Young Museum and Legion of Honor, with exhibitions by Urs Fischer, Sarah Lucas and Sarah Lucas and Julian Schnabel at the Legion of Honor and Carsten Nicolai and Leonardo Drew at the de Young museum.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/The-Legion-goes-engagingly-modern-11089735.php|title=The Legion goes engagingly modern|work=SFGate|access-date=22 May 2017}}</ref> In January 2017, the institution announced a significant new addition to its collection of American art through the acquisition of 62 works by 22 contemporary African American artists, including Thornton Dial's ''Blood And Meat: Survival For the World'' (1992) and ''Lost Cows'' (2000–1), Joe Light's ''Dawn'' (1988), Jessie T. Pettway's ''Bars'' and ''String-Pierced Columns'' (1950's), Lonnie Holley's ''Him and Her Hold the Root'' (1994) and Joe Minter's ''Camel at the Watering Hole'' (1995)), celebrated in the exhibition "Revelations: Art from the African American South".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.artforum.com/news/id=66410|title=The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco Acquires 62 Works by African American Artists from the Souls Grown Deep Foundation|work=artforum.com|access-date=22 May 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> Hollein opened several critically acclaimed exhibitions, including ''The Brothers Le Nain: Painters of Seventeenth Century France'',<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-brothers-le-nain-painters-of-seventeenth-century-france-review-the-first-artists-collective-1466024676|title='The Brothers Le Nain: Painters of Seventeenth-Century France' Review: The First Artists' Collective|last=Wilkin|first=Karen|date=15 June 2016|work=Wall Street Journal|access-date=22 May 2017|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> ''Frank Stella: A Retrospective'',<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/oct/29/frank-stella-retrospective-whitney-museum-new-york|title=Frank Stella at the Whitney – from impassive abstraction to riotous baroque|last=Farago|first=Jason|date=29 October 2015|work=The Guardian|access-date=22 May 2017|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> ''Danny Lyon: Message to the Future'',<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.internazionale.it/foto/2017/02/21/messaggio-danny-lyon|title=Il messaggio di Danny Lyon|date=21 February 2017|work=Internazionale|access-date=22 May 2017|language=it-IT}}</ref> ''Monet: The Earl Years''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2017-02/24/content_28339484.htm|title=Monet's early days revealed – World – Chinadaily.com.cn|last=赵思远|website=www.chinadaily.com.cn|access-date=22 May 2017}}</ref> and ''Stuart Davis: In Full Swing''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/2017/04/01/de-young-show-proves-stuart-davis-ought-to-be-a-household-name/|title=de Young Show Proves Stuart Davis Ought to be a Household Name|work=KQED Arts|access-date=22 May 2017|language=en-us}}</ref> Ed Ruscha and the Great American West, Cult of the Machine, and ''The Summer of Love Experience: Art, Fashion, and Rock & Roll'' which drew almost 270,000 visitors and 400.000 online visits from around the world, making the ''exhibition''<ref>[https://www.famsf.org/press-room/summer-love-experience-art-fashion-and-rock-roll-closes-record-attendance-numbers "The Summer of Love Experience: Art, Fashion, and Rock & Roll Closes with Record Attendance Numbers"], Press Release by de Young Museum, accessed on 20 September 2017.</ref> the highest attendance in recent years.Hollein expanded the de Young furthermore on the encyclopedic focus of its program, with exhibitions such as Teotihuacan: City of Water, City of Fire, The Maori Portraits: Gottfried Lindauer's New Zealand, and Contemporary Muslim Fashions. This exhibition was especially praised for the curatorial consultation with and engagement of Muslim representatives from throughout the Bay Area.
Hollein also expanded the institution's educational outreach, including digital interactive tools to prepare for exhibitions, and the construction of the DeYoungster's Studio – a learning space that fosters children's curiosity and understanding of art.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/25/arts/design/de-young-museum-contemporary-muslim-fashions.html Mediating Faith and Style: Museums Awake to Muslim Fashions], The New York Times, accessed on 7 July 2022.</ref><ref>[https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2017/02/03/rodin-muslim-style-and-hippie-chic Rodin, Muslim style and hippie chic], The Art Newspaper, accessed on 7 July 2022.</ref>
=== Metropolitan Museum of Art ===
In April 2018, the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced that Hollein will become its 10th director.<ref name=Pogrebin/> He succeeded in a selection process whose finalists included Adam D. Weinberg, Julián Zugazagoitia, Emilie Gordenker, Timothy Rub, and Taco Dibbits.<ref name=Pogrebin/> His appointment was supported by many in the art world;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/metropolitan-museum-names-max-hollein-as-its-new-director-1523394001|title=Metropolitan Museum Names Max Hollein as Its New Director|last=Crow|first=Kelly|date=10 April 2018|website=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/18/arts/design/max-hollein-metropolitan-museum-of-art.html|title=With Choice of New Director, the Met Gets a Scholar and a Showman|last=Pogrebin|first=Robin|last2=Farago|first2=Jason|date=18 April 2018|website=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/max-hollein-metropolitan-museum-director-interview-vogue-september-2018|title=Meet Max Hollein, the Metropolitan Museum's New Director|last=Kazanjian|first=Dodie|date=16 August 2018|website=Vogue}}</ref> and criticized in three newspapers, The Guardian,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/apr/14/max-hollein-metropolitan-museum-art-director-diversity-debate|title=Diversity in spotlight as Met museum hires 10th white male director in a row|last=Sayej|first=Nadja|date=16 April 2018|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=15 May 2018}}</ref> The New York Times<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/12/opinion/met-museum-max-hollein.html|title=Opinion {{!}} Appointing Yet Another White, Male Director Is a Missed Opportunity for the Met|date=12 April 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=15 May 2018|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and The Observer<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://observer.com/2018/04/met-museum-streak-of-white-male-directors-continues-with-max-hollein/|title=Met Museum Announces Yet Another White Male as New Director|date=11 April 2018|work=Observer|access-date=15 May 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> for being the 10th white man appointed to the position at the Met, suggesting the institution's lack of diversity. Hollein shared his vision for the present and future role of encyclopedic museums, and outlined that he aims for The Met's galleries and programming to present a range of perspectives on history and examine the intersection of cultures, rather than offer a singular, linear narrative.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.artnet.com/art-world/met-director-max-hollein-interview-1354600|title=New Met Director Max Hollein on How He Plans to Lead the Museum Into a More Egalitarian Future|last=Goldstein|first=Andrew|date=24 September 2018|website=Artnet News}}</ref> Showcasing The Met's scholarly depth and breadth, exhibitions that have been opened since 2018 span across all 17 curatorial departments at The Met, and include exhibitions such as "Alice Neel: People Come First ", "The Medici. Portraits and Politics, 1512–1570", "Camp: Notes on Fashion", "Crossroads", "Jacob Lawrence: The American Struggle", "The Last Knight: The Art, Armor, and Ambition of Maximilian I", "Making The Met, 1870–2020", "Gerhard Richter: Painting After All", "Sahel: Art and Empires on the Shores of the Sahara", "The Tale of Genji: A Japanese Classic Illuminated, "Surrealism Beyond Borders", "Inspiring Walt Disney: The Animation of French Decorative Arts", and "Charles Ray: Figure Ground".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kennicott |first1=Philip |title=At the Met, beautiful paintings that won't love you back |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/met-medici-portrait-exhibit/2021/06/23/f273bb12-d374-11eb-ae54-515e2f63d37d_story.html |access-date=10 July 2022 |agency=The Washington Post |date=24 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Schjedahl |first1=Peter |title=The dark relevations of Gerhard Richter |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/03/16/the-dark-revelations-of-gerhard-richter |access-date=10 July 2022 |agency=The New Yorker |date=9 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Palumbo |first1=Jacqui |title=The European art and architecture that inspired iconic Disney films |url=https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/inspiring-walt-disney-metropolitan-museum-european-decorative-arts/index.html |access-date=10 July 2022 |agency=CNN |date=30 December 2021}}</ref>
Hollein has also engaged in broader cultural debates as The Met's Director, including penning an essay about the Museum's leadership responsibilities in upholding the policies and practices for the acquisition of art and archaeological materials, and protecting cultural heritage around the globe.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/now-at-the-met/2018/met-role-protecting-cultural-heritage|title=The Met's Role in Protecting Cultural Heritage|last=Hollein|first=Max|date=7 November 2018|website=Now at The Met Blog}}</ref> In 2020, Daniel H. Weiss and Max Hollein publicly announced The Met's commitments to Anti-Racism, Diversity, and the wellbeing of their communities. This plan includes the assessment of the Museum's history, the diversification of its collection and program, and the hiring and training of staff. One of the recent curatorial hires includes The Met's first full-time person of Indigenous descent hired for a curatorial position, Patricia Marroquin Norby.<ref>{{cite web |title=Our Commitments to Anti-Racism, Diversity, and a Stronger Community |url=https://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/now-at-the-met/2020/the-mets-plans-for-anti-racism|website=The MET |access-date=6 July 2020}}</ref>
Early in his tenure, Hollein said he would focus on further injecting modern and contemporary art into The Met's main Fifth Avenue building.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archpaper.com/2019/03/met-premiers-annual-facades-art-series/|title=The Met premieres an annual facades series to spotlight contemporary work|last=Hilburg|first=Jonathan|date=25 March 2019|website=The Architect's Newspaper}}</ref> He announced a comprehensive new program to that effect. The new annual façade commission was inaugurated in 2019 with Wangechi Mutu. For the inaugural Great Hall commission in 2019, The Met invited the Cree artist Kent Monkman, to create contemporary history paintings that serve as commentary on the Indigenous experience and colonialism, and consider The Met's collection with a critical eye.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/21/arts/design/the-met-will-use-its-facade-and-great-hall-to-showcase-contemporary-art.html|title=The Met Will Use its Facade and Great Hall to Showcase Contemporary Art|last=Libbey|first=Peter|date=21 March 2019|website=The New York Times}}</ref> Hollein also added its first-ever contemporary Period Room to its existing system of 29 period rooms, its so-called Afrofuturist Period Room titled "Before Yesterday We Could Fly", and among others, curated by Hannah Beachler and Michelle Commander. Hollein built on The Met's digital platforms to scale its educational initiatives and disseminate content.
During its COVID-19-related closure, the MET celebrated its 150th birthday. Despite difficult times and a forced lack of visitors, Hollein helped the museum achieve economic stability. The museum pivoted quickly to virtual programs and to highlight its digital offerings, which have seen a significant expansion since. By 2021, The Met saw over 30 million visitors annually to their website. Hollein also took a stand on social controversies on several occasions and acknowledged the fundamental right of artists to protest against the controversial Sackler funding.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/20/arts/design/metropolitan-museum-max-hollein.html At the Entrenched Met Museum, the New Director Shakes Things Up], The New York Times, Published 20 November 2019 Updated 24 June 2020</ref><ref>[https://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/kunst-berlin-kulturszene-wehrt-sich-gegen-dubiose-maezene-dpa.urn-newsml-dpa-com-20090101-190808-99-383063 Kulturszene wehrt sich gegen dubiose Mäzene], Sueddeutsche, seen 8 August 2019 (German)</ref><ref>[https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/150-jahre-metropolitan-museum-einsame-jubilaeumsfeier-wegen-100.html Einsame Jubiläumsfeier wegen Coronavirus], Deutschlandfunk, 14 April 2020</ref><ref>[https://www.spiegel.de/kultur/coronakrise-beim-metropolitan-museum-of-art-new-york-eine-existenzielle-bedrohung-a-296e1760-cf28-4111-8fa4-ab62bf8f671f Allein mit drei Millionen Kunstwerken], Der Spiegel, 23 March 2020 (German)</ref><ref>[http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?preview=true&m=1119915430047&ca=55e38339-d3e4-40f2-bd03-97107c28bb74&id=preview The Metropolitan Museum of Art Announces Enhanced Online Programs and Social Media Initiatives], The MET, 19 March 2020</ref>
In lectures Hollein shares that The Met will invest in the next ten years to update the gallery system, with a special emphasis on refreshing and recontextualizing its narratives. Projects include $70 million renovation of its Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, that is home to the galleries for the arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, Ancient Near Eastern and Cypriot Art, European Paintings, as well as the reenvisioning of the progress on previously announced plans to remodel its Modern Wing.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/18/arts/design/mets-leaders-move-ahead-with-modern-and-rockefeller-wings.html|title=Met's Leaders Move Ahead with Modern and Rockefeller Wings|last=Pogrebin|first=Robin|date=18 November 2018|website=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/the-met-looks-back-at-max-hollein-s-first-100-days-as-director-and-forward-to-its-150th-birthday|title=The Met looks back at Max Hollein's first 100 days as director—and forward to its 150th birthday|last=Stapley-Brown|first=Victoria|date=20 November 2018|website=The Art Newspaper}}</ref>
In July 2019, the museum reported that it had over 7 million visitors for a third year in a row.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.artnet.com/art-world/met-attendance-2019-fiscal-year-1598302|title=The Met Museum's Attendance Reached 7 Million Last Year, Hardly Dented by Its Controversial Admission Fee|last=Goldstein|first=Caroline|date=11 July 2019|website=Artnet News}}</ref>
In 2019, Hollein was a member of the jury that selected Doris Salcedo for the Nomura Art Award and to receive $1 million.<ref>Maximilíano Durón (31 October 2019), [https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/doris-salcedo-wins-nomura-art-award-13492/ Doris Salcedo Wins $1 M. Nomura Award, World's Largest Art Prize] ''ARTnews''.</ref>
Since July 2023 Hollein adds to his function as director the CEO title.<ref>[https://www.teneo.com/a-conversation-with-max-hollein-director-and-ceo-of-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art-in-new-york-city/ ''A Conversation with Max Hollein, Director and CEO of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City''], Teneo, July 13, 2023</ref> The move marks a return to the Met’s old leadership structure, wherein the director of the institution is responsible for both the programmatic direction of the museum as well as its day-to-day operations.<ref>Robin Pogrebin (3 August 2022), [https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/03/arts/design/max-hollein-met-museum-chief-executive.html Max Hollein Consolidates Roles as Met Museum's Chief] ''New York Times''.</ref>
==Other activities== === Curator === * Venice Architecture Biennale 2000, US pavilion * Venice Art Biennale 2005, Austrian pavilion<ref>[https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2018/04/10/max-hollein-is-the-next-director-of-new-yorks-metropolitan-museum-of-art Max Hollein is the next director of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art], ''The Art Newspaper'', accessed on 29 June 2022</ref> * Art in the Lufthansa Innovation Center<ref>[https://www.lufthansagroup.com/en/lac/art.html Art in the Lufthansa Innovation Center], Lufthansa Group. seen May 2023</ref> * Salzburg Avantgarde-Festival "kontra.com" on the occasion of the Mozart Year 2006<ref>[https://www.sn.at/panorama/international/max-hollein-karrieresprung-eines-wieners-von-frankfurt-nach-san-francisco-1630606 Max Hollein – Karrieresprung eines Wieners von Frankfurt nach San Francisco], Salzburger Nachrichten, accessed on 29 June 2022 (German)</ref>
===Corporate boards=== * Deutsche Bank, Member of the Advisory Board (2006–2012)<ref>[https://annualreport.deutsche-bank.com/2006/ar/servicepages/downloads/files/dbfy2006_advisory_council_members.pdf Members of the Advisory Board, 2006] Deutsche Bank.</ref><ref>[https://geschaeftsbericht.deutsche-bank.de/2012/gb/serviceseiten/downloads/files/dbfy2012_verzeichnis_beiratsmitglieder.pdf Members of the Advisory Board, 2012] Deutsche Bank.</ref>
===Non-profit organizations=== * State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Member of the International Advisory Board (until 2022)<ref>[https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/about/advisory_board/?lng= International Advisory Board] Hermitage Museum.</ref><ref name="Kishkovsky 2022 w658">{{cite web | last=Kishkovsky | first=Sophia | title=Isolated by Russia boycotts, Hermitage director calls for 'cultural bridges between the nations' | website=The Art Newspaper – International art news and events | date=4 April 2022 | url=https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/04/04/russia-boycott-hermitage-museum | access-date=14 July 2023}}</ref> * Hall Art Foundation, Member of the Advisory Board<ref>Ronald Meyer-Arlt (29 December 2015), [http://www.goettinger-tageblatt.de/Nachrichten/Kultur/Regional/Multimillionaer-Andrew-Hall-will-Kunstsammlung-auf-Schloss-Derneburg-praesentieren Multimillionär Andrew Hall will Kunstsammlung auf Schloss Derneburg präsentieren] ''Göttinger Tageblatt''.</ref> * İstanbul Modern, Member of the Advisory Board<ref>[http://www.istanbulmodern.org/en/press/press-releases/museums-talk-from-germany_1825.html Museums Talk: From Germany] İstanbul Modern, press release of 25 March 2016.</ref> * Museum Berggruen, Member of the International Council<ref>[http://www.icmuseumberggruen.de/en/international-council/members International Council] Museum Berggruen.</ref> * Nomura Art Award, Member of the Jury<ref>[https://www.nomuraartaward.com/ Jury] Nomura Art Award.</ref> * University of Applied Arts Vienna, Member of the International Advisory Board<ref>[http://www.dieangewandte.at/jart/prj3/angewandte-2016/main.jart?rel=en&content-id=1452272610773&reserve-mode=reserve International Advisory Board] University of Applied Arts Vienna.</ref> * University of Art and Design Offenbach am Main, Member of the Advisory Board<ref>[http://www.hfg-offenbach.de/en/pages/hochschulrat#about Advisory Board] University of Art and Design Offenbach am Main.</ref> * Arts Sponsorship Award of the Association of Arts and Culture of the German Economy, Member of the Jury<ref>[http://www.kulturkreis.eu/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=55&Itemid=185 Jury] Arts Sponsorship Award of the Association of Arts and Culture of the German Economy.</ref>
==Personal life== Hollein is married to fashion designer Nina Hollein; they have three children.<ref name=Chron/><ref>Eve MacSweeney (10 April 2018) [https://www.vogue.com/article/met-museum-announces-max-hollein-new-director "The Metropolitan Museum of Art Has Chosen Max Hollein as Its Next Director"], ''Vogue''.</ref>
==Awards== * 2009 – Chevalier dans l`Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture * 2010 – Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art<ref>[https://www.bmb.gv.at/ministerium/vp/2010/20100712a.html Kulturministerin Claudia Schmied überreicht Max Hollein das Österreichische Ehrenkreuz für Wissenschaft und Kunst] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161008110955/https://www.bmb.gv.at/ministerium/vp/2010/20100712a.html |date=8 October 2016 }} Austrian Ministry of Education and Women's Affairs, press release of 12 July 2010.</ref> * 2015 – {{ill|Binding-Kulturpreis|de}}<ref>[https://www.journal-frankfurt.de/journal_news/Kultur-9/Direktor-von-Staedel-Schirn-und-Liebieghaus-Max-Hollein-bekommt-Binding-Kulturpreis-23938.html "Max Hollein bekommt Binding-Kulturpreis"], ''Journal Frankfurt'', 9 March 2015 {{in lang|de}}.</ref> * 2016 – Goethe-Plakette des Landes Hessen * 2019 – Goethe Plaque of the City of Frankfurt<ref name="Göpfert" /> * 2020 – WU Manager of the Year<ref>[https://www.wu.ac.at/universitaet/news-und-events/events/detail/verleihung-wu-manager-des-jahres-2020#:~:text=Max%20Hollein%20studierte%20Betriebswirtschaft%20an,und%20Kunst%20verflochten%20sein%20k%C3%B6nnen. WU Manager of the Year 2020] Vienna University of Economics and Business, 28 May 2020</ref> * 2022 – Hommage, Konrad Adenauer Foundation<ref>[https://www.kas.de/en/homage ''Ehrung für herausragende Persönlichkeiten der deutschsprachigen Kultur''], Website Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, accessed on 29 July 2022 (German).</ref>
==Selected publications== * {{cite book | last=Schnabel | first=Julian | last2=Sofía | first2=Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina | title=Julian Schnabel | publisher=Hatje Cantz Verlag | date=2004 | isbn=978-3-7757-1386-3 | language=de}} * {{cite book | last=Berggruen | first=Olivier | last2=Hollein | first2=Max | title=Henri Matisse: Drawing with Scissors | publisher=National Geographic Books | date=25 April 2006 | isbn=978-3-7913-3473-8}} * {{cite book | last=Berggruen | first=Olivier | last2=Hollein | first2=Max | title=Picasso und das Theater | date=2006 | isbn=978-3-7757-1872-1}} * {{cite book | title=Odilon Redon, As in a Dream | date=2007 | isbn=978-3-7757-1894-3}} * ''Julian Schnabel: Symbols of Actual Life'', release date 12 February 2019, by Max Hollein. Prestel, 2019.
==Further reading==
* Interview with Max Hollein at [http://db-artmag.de/en/69/feature/an-interview-with-staedel-director-max-hollein/ DB ArtMag].
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category|Max Hollein}} * {{cite web | title=Leadership | website=The Metropolitan Museum of Art | date=6 July 2023 | url=https://www3.metmuseum.org/about-the-met/leadership | ref={{sfnref | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | 2023}} | access-date=14 July 2023}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hollein, Max}} Category:Living people Category:1969 births Category:Directors of museums in the United States Category:Austrian art historians