Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation, the New York–based organization supporting the Soane Museum in London, today announced Michael Diaz-Griffith as its new executive director.
Formerly associate executive director—and current steering committee member—of the Winter Show, Diaz-Griffith is also a member of the Society of Architectural Historians, the Decorative Arts Trust, and the Royal Oak Foundation. In his position at the Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation, Diaz-Griffith will assist the trustees in fundraising efforts and will support outreach for the organization on a national level.
“The Soane Museum combines all of my favorite things: a lively, inventive approach to classical architecture, idiosyncratic design solutions, and a singular atmosphere, all developed in service of a one-of-a-kind collection of art and material culture, and interpreted today with an eye cast toward the future,” says Diaz-Griffith. “The foundation bottles that magic and translates it into programming, education, and experiences, which is the most exciting professional remit I could imagine. I am thrilled and honored.”
English architect and aesthete John Soane (1753–1837) is remembered for his eclectic and surprisingly austere twist on the neoclassical style. Among his many projects were London’s Dulwich Picture Gallery (1811–1814), considered the world’s first purpose-built art gallery; the Bank of England (1788–1837); and the stretch of townhouses in Lincoln’s Inn Fields in London that Soane transformed into a labyrinthine showcase for his collection of sculptures, friezes, architectural models, and paintings, what is today known as the Soane Museum.
We at ANTIQUES consider Diaz-Griffith—who has been co-hosting our podcast, Curious Objects—to be a creative thinker, an eloquent spokesperson, and a tireless advocate for the art and design of the past, as well as one of our field’s brightest young stars. With brimming confidence, we look forward to what comes next.
