Tate Modern announces first female director

Tate has announced Frances Morris as the new director of Tate Modern. She is the first woman to be appointed.

The 57-year-old, who has been with Tate Modern since its opening in 2000, has until now held the position of director of collection. She was behind three of major retrospectives of women artists, curating shows including Louise Bourgeois in 2007, Yayoi Kusama in 2012 and Agnes Martin in 2015.

Morris succeeds Chris Dercon, who has been director of Tate Modern for five years. She is now working closely with colleagues towards the new Tate Modern, opening to the public on 17 June.

In a statement, she said:“Tate Modern is a truly unique institution and I have been privileged to have been part of the team from the very beginning. I am thrilled and excited to be appointed as director and look forward to taking on this new role at such an exciting time for the museum.”

Tate director Nicholas Serota said: “Frances Morris is an innovative thinker who has shaped and developed Tate’s international collection, firmly establishing Tate Modern as one of the foremost contemporary and modern art galleries in the world. She will lead the new Tate Modern into the next era.”