SIX WEEKS INTO HIS TENURE as director of the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), Franklin Sirmans is adapting to his new role at the museum and new expectations for Art Basel Miami Beach. Previously, as department head and curator of contemporary art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), he could duck in and out of exhibitions, fairs and parties, a visitor to Miami quickly navigating the citywide bonanza. This year, Sirmans is serving as a host and ambassador, a newly minted leader in Miami’s burgeoning arts community. Named director of PAMM on Sept. 3, Sirmans officially joined the museum on Oct. 15. The announcement capped a significant period in his career. In June, Sirmans mounted “Noah Purifoy: Junk Dada” at LACMA. Currently on view, it is the first monographic museum exhibition of Purifoy, the late assemblage artist, social worker, and co-founder of the Watts Towers Arts Center. Last fall, Sirmans presided over Prospect.3 in New Orleans where he served as artistic director. The American biennial (now triennial) allowed him to execute his curatorial vision on a large scale. Spread throughout the city, he says the three-month exhibition gave him a chance to work with dozens of artists […]
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