New National Gallery director

For Vladimír Rösel, a former investment banker who began his tenure as director of the National Gallery in Prague June 1, the next few months could go either way.

Rösel might bring a much-desired change to one of the most important cultural institutions in the country, transforming the National Gallery from a place with a tarnished reputation into a welcoming, world-class gallery. But many artists and art historians are asking justified questions about Rösel's expertise in art history and museum management, and for now Rösel is trying to explain what motivated his decision to completely change fields and seek to fill the shoes of the controversial Milan Knížák, whose tenure as director ended May 31.

Rösel's relationship with the National Gallery goes back to the 1980s, when he began working as a lecturer at the gallery.

"I discovered the National Gallery when I was 14 or 15. The National Gallery gave me a number of opportunities, even in investment banking," Rösel says. "Suddenly, a window was opened, and I felt I had enough experience ... that the time was right to apply for the position."

Knížák and Rösel are seemingly polar opposites, the former an artist known for his public performance art and his work with the Fluxus group in the 1960s, and the latter arriving from a vastly different sector. While admitting to a lack of experience in the field of museum management, Rösel says his training in investment is especially important to an institution like the National Gallery at a time when museums across the world are being forced to cut budgets.

"This situation calls for a person who knows how money works and knows how big companies work. Such a person has a better chance to hold the pivotal collection and support further development than someone who all his life has been only showing paintings or writing critiques and books," Rösel says.

"I didn't study art history, so I'm not coming from within the community. On the contrary, I'm coming from outside, and I believe I can implement the change that everyone is calling for better than anyone else," he adds.

But not everyone is convinced that Rösel's appointment is the best move. Czech artist Jiří David has wondered publicly how it is possible that a man who has never organized a single exhibition or managed a gallery could be given such authority over the National Gallery. Others, such as Jan Skřivánek, editor-in-chief of the influential Art+Antiques magazine, see the new general manager as a virtually unknown character.

"Rösel is for me unreadable because I don't see any specific results behind him. I believe he's an intelligent and experienced economist, but about his managerial skills, not to mention his professional skills, I know nothing," Skřivánek said.

Rösel answers his critics by claiming that his professional career has not been accurately presented in the media and defends his appointment by describing how problems in the National Gallery are caused by its inner structure.

"It's important to recognize that executive management means above all assigning other people. If people generally expect the general manager to decide absolutely everything, that is a bad model. And that is the current model. A change of system must take place," he says. "It is necessary to change the status of the National Gallery so a management board can be formed. This board would have the power to limit the mentioned conflicts of interest that art historians, curators and active artists have at this moment. Once the system is changed, once limits are established regarding how and what the general manager can decide, then practically anyone could manage the gallery."

Rösel refuses to reveal details about his conception of presenting art at the gallery, saying he first wants to make sure National Gallery employees are familiar with his plans. But he makes it clear changes will take place concerning the gallery's general attitude toward visitors.

Czechs interested in art go often to Vienna, Munich, Berlin or Paris for major exhibitions, and it is clear Prague's National Gallery will never receive as much funding as galleries in these cities, but Rösel argues that improving the gallery isn't only about money.

"The collections are here, so you have to be able to make the experience better, and to make sure people understand our collection in our context," he says. "You cannot let them say, 'I won't bother going there; it's not worth it.' "

Rösel is a man with a mission. His appointment may signal a period of rebirth for the National Gallery, but for now, he is certain to be closely scrutinized by the cultural community.

Filip Šenk can be reached at
fsenk@praguepost.com