RICHMOND ART GALLERY ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTOR

The City of Richmond and the Board of Directors for the Richmond Art Gallery Association (RAGA) are pleased to announce that Rachel Rosenfield Lafo is the new Director of the Richmond Art Gallery effective February 12, 2013.

Lafo has many years of experience as a museum administrator and curator, most recently as Director of Curatorial Affairs at the DeCordova Sculpture Park + Museum in Lincoln, Massachusetts and before that as Associate Curator at the Portland Art Museum in Portland, Oregon. She has a background in arts administration, staff and volunteer management, Board liaison, curatorship, collections management, and educational programming. She holds a Master of Arts in Art History from the University of Massachusetts with areas of expertise in contemporary art and public art.

Since moving to Vancouver in 2009, Lafo has worked as an independent curator, arts writer, lecturer, and public art tour leader, guest curating exhibitions and teaching classes at Emily Carr University of Art and Design. She also has served as Chair of Vancouver’s Public Art Committee and is President of the Contemporary Art Society, Vancouver.

“I am excited to join the outstanding team at the Richmond Art Gallery, who have implemented an impressive series of exhibitions and educational programs,” says Lafo.  I look forward to working with the RAGA Board, becoming involved in the community, and working closely with Gallery staff, artists, collectors, supporters, and colleagues in Metro Vancouver and beyond.

Lafo’s recent curatorial projects include The future is already here: Brendan Tang and Alex McLeod at the Surrey Art Gallery, (2013) Dave Eppley: Oil Stains, Gallery OBORO, (2013) Montreal, Odd Occurrences: Narrative in the Art of Kristin Bjornerud, Tamara Bond, Tomoyo Ihaya, and Carrie Walker at the Seymour Art Gallery, (2012) and Michelle Allard and Khan Lee; Circulation Patterns at the Simon Fraser University Gallery, (2012). Lafo’s reviews, articles, and artist interviews, including a recent interview with Vancouver artist Liz Magor, appear in such publications as Sculpture Magazine, Public Art Review, Art in America, Mousse and Canadian Art and she wrote the essay on artist Thomas Houseago for the Rennie Collection exhibition catalogue.

The Richmond Art Gallery is the City of Richmond's Public Art Gallery. The Gallery is owned by the City of Richmond and is supported by the Richmond Art Gallery Association. The Richmond Art Gallery plays a dynamic role in the growth of visual art in Richmond, and is a vital part of the contemporary art network in British Columbia and Canada. Through excellence in exhibitions and education the Richmond Art Gallery strives to enhance an understanding and enjoyment of contemporary art. The art gallery features exhibitions of regional, national and international contemporary works of art.

The Richmond Art Gallery Staff and Board gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the City of Richmond, the British Columbia Arts Council and the Province of British Columbia.