Rhana Devenport, the new and first female Director of the Art Gallery of South Australia brings a wealth of experience, leadership acumen and genuine commitment to her new position,

APPOINTMENT

Art Gallery of South Australia appoints Rhana Devenport as new Director. She is the first female to hold this position.

BY KAZAD

AUSTRALIA-Rhana Devenport has been appointed the new Director of the Art Gallery of South Australia. She is the first female to hold this important position. Premier Steven Marshall made the announcement recently. Devenport will replace Nick Mitzevich after an eight-year reign at the Art Gallery of South Australia.

An experienced curator with more than 25 years experience, Devenport has over the years been involved in collection development and exhibition presentation across several national and international platforms. In doing so, she has forged significant connections with artists, donors, benefactors, and sponsors.

Devenport’s experience will come to play in her position as the new Director of the Art Gallery of South Australia. “Ms. Devenport brings to Adelaide a wealth of experience, leadership acumen and, significantly, a genuine commitment to and understanding of the important role art can play in people’s lives,” notes Premier Steven Marshall.

Devenport’s appointment comes at an exciting time when the Art Gallery of South Australia is attracting great attendance and needs even more fresh ideas to take to the future. With more 800,000 visitors per year, a record-breaking exhibition program and an internationally regarded collection, Devenport has a lot to work with. “I’m delighted with Ms. Devenport’s appointment and I look forward to seeing the Gallery continue to flourish under her directorship,’’ Mr. Marshall said.

Like the Premier, Devenport is thrilled by the opportunity to lead this strong and innovative cultural organization into the future.  “I am deeply honoured by this appointment, the Art Gallery of South Australia has forged an excellent reputation for its ambition, its outstanding collection, and a dynamic exhibitions program,” said Ms. Devenport.

In addition to enhancing the attendance record of the gallery, Devenport understands that she has to maintain the reputation of the museum not just within Austraila but also around the world. As she rightly notes, “Great art museums are the heart of great cities and reflect how a city considers itself in the world and how it contributes to self-discovery, empathy and shared knowledge.”

In announcing the appointment, Premier Steven Marshall congratulated Devenport as the first woman to hold this position. He noted, “South Australia has a proud history of championing the role and contribution of women across all sectors of our community – from politics and Indigenous Affairs, to science and the arts – and this appointment continues that legacy.”

Rhana Devenport was selected from a list of highly qualified candidates. The Chair of the Art Gallery of South Australia Board Tracey Whiting led the selection process. She described Rhana Devenport as an international arts leader with the ability to realize the ambitions of the Gallery. She noted: “These ambitions include a new building with a global impact, working closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and communities, and developing and presenting with innovation and verve, a billion-dollar art collection,” Ms. Whiting said.

About Rhana Devenport

Rhana Devenport will commence at the Gallery in October this year. She will relocate to Adelaide with her husband, multimedia Tim Gruchy.    In New Zealand, Rhana Devenport was the Director of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery in New Plymouth, leading the development of the Len Lye Centre.

In 2013, she became Director of Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki and, in 2017, curated the work of Lisa Reihana as the New Zealand Pavilion at the 2017 Venice Biennale. This year, Ms. Devenport was appointed an Officer of The New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to the arts. She returns to Australia with a commitment to art’s civic importance.

As the first female to be appointed Director of the Art Gallery of South Australia, Rhana Devenport paves the part for other women.  At Artcentron, we wish her great success.