Ido Bruno Appointed as Director of Israel Museum

After a seven-month headhunt, the Israel Museum has announced Ido Bruno as its new director. Bruno, who was selected unanimously by the museum’s board, will be taking over from Eran Neuman who signed on to direct the institution in January this year but resigned three months later.

Isaac Molho, chairman of the board, commented that Bruno has shown “uncompromising professionalism throughout his career.” As director, Bruno will formulate the museum's programs, which he sees as a “uniquely exciting and challenging mission.”

Bruno will be leaving the industrial design department of Jerusalem's Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, where he has taught since 1993. Previously, he had curated several shows for the Israel Museum, most notably “Herod the Great: the King’s Final Journey” in 2013. Other exhibitions curated by Bruno have been presented around the world, as have his own design works. He was also involved with the Israel Museum’s three-year renovation project, which gave it a new entrance and exhibition spaces.

Neuman, who is currently chairperson of the Daviz Azrieli School of Architecture at Tel Aviv University, resigned for reasons that remain unclear. While the museum released a statement on April 5, stating that it was due to “differences of perception in his role and working conditions,” some sources say it was because of James S. Synder’s continual involvement in the museum’s management. Synder served as the institution’s director from 1987–2016 and still plays a pivotal role as its international president.

Meanwhile, Ayelet Shiloh Tamir, who temporarily helmed the museum in the interim period after Neuman’s resignation, will resume her role as deputy director after Bruno officially steps in as director in November, after the museum receives approval from the Israeli government.

Helena Halim is an editorial intern at ArtAsiaPacific.

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