Palm Springs Art Museum recently announced that Christine Vendredi, formerly Global Director for Art, Culture, and Heritage for Louis Vuitton, has been tapped as the new Chief Curator to oversee the museum’s exhibitions, publications, and permanent collection.
In addition to 12 years of experience at Louis Vuitton, Vendredi has exemplary academic credentials with a PhD in Art History from the prestigious Practical School for Advanced Studies (EPHE) Sorbonne in Paris, and another PhD in Architectural History from Charles University in Prague, as well as an Executive MBA from the School of Advanced Business Studies (HEC) in Paris.
In conducting the curator search, the museum’s senior management stressed that they were looking for someone who could lead the curatorial department in the organization’s new chapter. Current CEO Adam Lerner launched the new chapter after he assumed his position in 2021. Lerner crafted a new vision for an institution committed to artistic excellence and widespread community participation.
“Although we spoke with a number of exciting and qualified candidates, Christine checked every box on our wish list,” says Lerner. “In fact, it almost seemed too good to be true that Christine has such a deep expertise in both art and modern architecture – a discipline that holds widespread interest in our community.”
Vendredi has worked for Louis Vuitton since 2011 and has served in several capacities, including as the Head of Art & Culture, during which she aligned all art-related activities to accompany the launch of the organization’s foundation in Paris. She has also enriched and managed the Louis Vuitton corporate art collection, which is displayed in 475 stores. In her last role as Global Director, she oversaw art commissions, programming, and brand content of the traveling exhibitions in Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Milan, and Los Angeles. She has also co-authored two books on architecture, served as an art history teacher at Keio University Tokyo, and speaks four languages, including French, English, Japanese, and Czech.
Upon accepting the position, Vendredi says, “I’ve been visiting the Southern California area for years and had hopes that someday the right position might come along to bring me out there. Palm Springs Art Museum’s collection and Adam’s vision for the institution – plus the Coachella Valley’s exploding reputation as an essential art center – made for a perfectly aligned situation. I’m thrilled that I will be taking part in steering the museum and connecting with such a vibrant community.”
For more information about the museum, visit https://www.psmuseum.org/.
