In recent years, the Dallas Contemporary has been an institution in flux. Longtime executive director Peter Doroshenko left the Kunsthalle (or non-collecting museum) in 2022, followed by the resignation of two replacements, Carolina Alvarez-Mathies and Lucia Simek.
Yet, throughout its transitions, the Contemporary has remained one of the best venues for ambitious, elevated programming that bridges the worlds of design, fashion and art — such as the current exhibition by sci-fi surrealist artist Francisco Moreno. This makes the announcement of the Contemporary’s new interim executive director all the more intriguing.
John McBride, a former deputy director of policy and long-term financial strategy for the Nasher Sculpture Center, will join the Contemporary on June 15 to lead the museum through what is a “transformative planning period” while the search goes on for a permanent director. Having initially joined the Nasher as CFO in 2008, McBride has a unique perspective on the nuts and bolts of what makes a successful museum.
“What attracted me to this role is the opportunity to help shape something foundational, at a time when all museums are under a great deal of stress,” he said. “Dallas Contemporary is at a moment where it can rethink its purpose, structure and program, building on its great history.”
Along to assist will be another art all-star: former Nasher director Jeremy Strick, who established the Nasher Art Prize and doubled its permanent collection during his tenure. As the Contemporary’s strategic advisor, Strick’s programming should complement McBride’s contributions.
Says the interim director, “My perspective tends to be somewhat more managerial — including building internal culture — and strategic. Jeremy brings a great deal of the ‘why,’ while I tend to focus on the ‘how.’
“Together, and with an incredible team, we have developed a vocabulary of communication and processes that gets us from ‘This may sound crazy’ to ‘That was incredible.’ ”
While planning future exhibitions, interactive programming, public events, education initiatives and artist residencies, McBride and Strick hope to engage with new patrons while satisfying the Contemporary’s existing audience. And, as the museum has always been one of the more risk-taking local institutions, its new chapter should reflect an experimental future, filled with emerging artists and adventurous programs that might not fit in a more traditional space.
“I feel that, over the long term, what has made the Contemporary special is its openness,” McBride adds.
“It has a reputation for thoughtful and unexpected exhibitions that invite people into contemporary art in a way that feels engaging rather than distant. The Contemporary has always felt less like a place where people are told, ‘This is art,’ and more like a place where people are invited to experience it.”
