I have not seen the original press release sent out by the Vancouver Art Gallery announcing the departure of director Kathleen Bartels, but I have seen the Vancouver Sun's first posting that had interim director Daina Auguitis listed as the VAG's "Chief Curator", not former "Associate Director and Chief Curator" or, more recently, "Chief Curator Emerita". Although this was corrected later that day (May 28), the sub-headline (as of 9:11AM today) remains the same:
Artnet News obviously saw the Sun article too, but have yet to correct their own copy. I tried to contact them but could not get past their CAPTCHA.
When these things happen I am often told how busy/undermanned newspapers are. But the response is not exclusive to those in media; we hear it from teenagers, parents, teachers, cops, lawyers, doctors, bankers, judges. Everyone is wound up, exhausted, content only to talk at each other about how exhausted they are. How it's not my fault! How I am doing everything I can!
The VAG has four Associate Directors: Ann Webb (Engagement and Strategic Initiatives), Beth McInnes (CFO), Tom Meighan (Operations and Museum Services) and Rochelle Steiner (Chief Curator). In this morning's Vancouver Sun, John Mackie says the VAG will have more to say on Bartel's departure "next week." I suspect by then there will be more departures.
