“If there is a museum director who embodies Mayor Bill de Blasio’s commitment to empowerment and inclusion, it is Gonzalo Casals, who leads the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art in SoHo, which is devoted to queer art,” writes Robin Pogrebin in Wednesday’s (3/11) New York Times. “Now the mayor has given Mr. Casals a new title: New York City’s Cultural Affairs Commissioner, for the largest local funder of arts and culture in the United States…. Mr. Casals is an immigrant from Argentina who identifies as queer. Since 2017, he has led the Leslie-Lohman, a museum with roots in the L.G.B.T.Q. civil rights movement, diversifying its collection and programming with contributions from the gay community. Mr. Casals previously served as deputy and interim director at El Museo del Barrio in East Harlem, a major center for Latino art and culture…. Mr. Casals also served as vice president for education and community engagement at Friends of the High Line, which focused on the elevated railway’s effect on surrounding neighborhoods…. Mr. Casals replaces Tom Finkelpearl, who stepped down in October after five years as Commissioner.” Casals begins in his new position on April 13.
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