The Heidi Horten Collection will welcome a new director this fall as Verena Kaspar-Eisert prepares to take over from founding director Agnes Husslein-Arco on November 1st. The leadership change comes after an extensive selection process that attracted 65 applicants for the prestigious position at one of Vienna's notable art institutions.
Kaspar-Eisert, who has served as chief curator of the MuseumsQuartier Wien (MQ) since 2022, will assume artistic and scientific leadership of the Heidi Horten Collection. Her appointment was officially announced on Friday following a multi-stage selection process. The new director brings extensive experience from her work at various prominent art institutions, including galleries Knoll and Krinzinger, Kunstraum Niederösterreich, and the photography museum WestLicht.
From 2014 to 2022, Kaspar-Eisert worked as a curator at Kunst Haus Wien, and since the founding of the Foto Wien festival in 2019, she has also served as a curator for that event. Her diverse background in contemporary art and photography has positioned her well for leading the collection's future development.
In a statement about her new role, Kaspar-Eisert emphasized her vision for the institution: "Art should touch people, stimulate thought, and connect people with each other. The impressive collection of the Heidi Horten Collection provides a unique foundation for this. In a very short time, the institution has established itself as a significant cultural force with its dedicated team – I want to build on this by strengthening its international reach and further developing dialogue with artists, institutions, and audiences both locally and globally."
The succession will create a chain of leadership changes in Vienna's art world. Astrid Peterle will step in to replace Kaspar-Eisert as chief curator of the MuseumsQuartier Wien, taking up her new position on October 1st. Peterle brings significant curatorial experience from her previous roles, having worked as a curator at the Jewish Museum Vienna from 2010 to 2022, most recently serving as chief curator.
Since June 2022, Peterle has been leading the curatorial department at Kunsthalle Wien. MQ Director Bettina Leidl expressed confidence in the appointment, stating that Peterle "is perfectly suited to further develop art projects and artistic practices at the MQ."
Kaspar-Eisert has indicated that she will present detailed plans for her vision and future initiatives for the Heidi Horten Collection in November, shortly after officially taking over her new role. The announcement marks a significant transition for the collection, which has quickly established itself as an important cultural institution under Husslein-Arco's founding leadership.
