MARK SLADEN LEAVES THE ICA
Frieze reports that Mark Sladen will be leaving the Institute of Contemporary Arts. Sladen has been the ICA’s director of exhibitions since the beginning of 2007 and has been responsible for solo shows from Enrico David, Rosalind Nashashibi, Loris Gréaud, and Billy Childish (which is currently showing), and group shows including “Poor.Old.Tired.Horse,” “Double Agent,” and “Nought to Sixty,” an ambitious survey of emerging artists in the UK.
According to yesterday’s press release: “His position has been made redundant within a review of the ICA’s organizational structure.” David Thorp, who has been working with the institution as an external consultant since last year, will be advising on the ICA’s artistic program until further notice.
The Institute of Contemporary Arts has recently made news for its shaky financial situation, having just received an emergency Arts Council bailout of nearly two million dollars.
Sladen had told bosses he would consider a new role in the organization only if its director, Ekow Eshun, resigned, according to The Guardian.
Sladen told colleagues his confidence in Eshun had been “gravely undermined.” The staff hase also taken a vote of no confidence in Eshun.
As part of the ICA’s restructuring, aimed at cutting the organization’s annual $3.7 million salary budget by $1 million, Sladen was asked to apply for the new role of director of programs. According to an e-mail to colleagues, seen by The Guardian, he told the interview panel, “Though I was willing to do the job, I would not be able to carry out the duties of the position unless Ekow resigned.” Eshun became the ICA’s artistic director in 2005. Sladen has worked at the ICA since 2007.
On February 7, Sladen was called in to receive feedback on his interview from Alan Yentob, creative director of the BBC and the ICA’s chair, and an external human-resources consultant.
In an e-mail sent to fellow department heads shortly after that meeting, Sladen wrote: “Alan told me he is supporting Ekow and that the latter is not intending to resign, so I will be serving out my remaining notice and leaving in late April.”
