LEOPOLD MUSEUM PRIVATE FOUNDATION RECONFIRMS HANS-PETER WIPPLINGER AS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR – CULTURE MANAGER MORITZ STIPSICZ TO BECOME NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR

22.10.2019

The Board of Directors of the Leopold Museum Private Foundation – made up of the chairman of the board Josef Ostermayer and board members Elisabeth Leopold, Agnes Husslein-Arco, Carl Aigner and Werner Muhm – unanimously confirmed Hans-Peter Wipplinger as Artistic Director for five more years until 2025.

The chairman of the board Josef Ostermayer feels that with Wipplinger at the helm, the museum’s highly successful course of the past years can be continued.

“Under the aegis of Hans-Peter Wipplinger the number of visitors to the Leopold Museum rose steadily, culminating in a record number of more than half a million museum goers in 2018. The varied exhibition program follows a multi-pillar principle consisting of projects on Classical Modernism, contemporary art as well as art from the 19th century. A special emphasis is placed on research and publications on Egon Schiele, and the range of themes consistent with Vienna 1900. The presentation of eminent collections and cooperations with festivals, such as ImPulsTanz Vienna International Dance Festival, and the foundation of the new friends’ associations Circle of Patrons and Salon Leopold has allowed us to reach completely new target audiences.”
Josef Ostermayer, Chairman of the Board

In the summer of 2020, Moritz Stipsicz will take over from the museum’s Managing Director Gabriele Langer, who has held this position since August 2015 and wants to take on new challenges.

“The Board of Directors has unanimously appointed Moritz Stipsicz as the future Managing Director of the Leopold Museum, as he is a business expert with great expertise in cultural affairs. Stipsicz combines a passion for art with a solid economic know-how, boasting international experience as well as an innovative talent for design and organization,” explains Josef Ostermayer.

Hans-Peter Wipplinger (born in 1968 in Schärding) has held the position of Artistic Director of the Leopold Museum since October 2015. Having studied art history, theater studies, journalism and communication studies at Vienna University, he worked, among other positions, at the OK Centrum für Gegenwartskunst in Linz, the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York as well as for Viennale – Vienna International Film Festival. Between 2003 and 2007 he acted as Director of the Museum Moderner Kunst Wörlen in Passau and from 2009 to 2015 as Director of the Kunsthalle Krems. Wipplinger has curated numerous themed exhibitions and monographic exhibitions on Classical Modernism, as well as dialogue exhibitions, themed exhibitions and projects on contemporary art, including the new presentation “Vienna 1900” and exhibitions on Ferdinand Hodler, Gustav Klimt, Wilhelm Lehmbruck, Paula Modersohn-Becker, Francis Picabia, Egon Schiele, Richard Gerstl, Yoko Ono, Martha Jungwirth, Kiki Kogelnik, Sarah Lucas, Pipilotti Rist, Jürgen Klauke, Zoran Mušič, Daniel Spoerri, Franz West, and Carl Spitzweg/Erwin Wurm. Hans-Peter Wipplinger is the editor and author of numerous scientific publications, catalogues and essays.

Moritz Stipsicz (born in 1975 in Vienna) studied economics at the Vienna University of Economics and Business between 1994 and 1996, and from 1996 to 1998 at the ESSEC (École Supérieure des Sciences Économiques et Commerciales) in Paris, graduating as Master of Science in Management. Between 1998 and 2000 he worked as analyst for the investment bank Morgan Stanley in London, and from 2002 to 2005 as Head of Corporate Development and member of the management committee of the construction supply corporation Wienerberger. In his capacity as gallery owner and managing partner of MOMENTUM Gallery for contemporary photography, he organized and realized more than 40 exhibitions and published 150 editions on Austrian artists between 2006 and 2011. From 2009 to 2012 he acted as pavilion director and chief administrative officer for Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary Private Foundation TBA21. Moritz Stipsicz delivers lectures and publishes catalogue essays on a regular basis.
Since 2013 Stipsicz has acted as collection advisor to INSIGHTS – Wienerberger Contemporary Photography Collection, and in this capacity is in charge of building the corporate collection and overseeing commissioned works. That same year, he took on the role of artistic advisor to the Josephinum – Collections of the Medical University of Vienna, conceiving and implementing the collection’s realignment, including development and improvement of branding, refurbishment of exhibition halls and financing of projects.

Since 2014 Stipsicz has led the refurbishment and improvement of tourist infrastructure of the Karlskirche in Vienna, and has initiated the art project Karlskirche Contemporary Arts. He further acts as chairman of the organization founded by him and Jasper Sharp in 2014 Phileas – A Fund for Contemporary Art, an independent philanthropic association geared towards increased international positioning of contemporary art in Austria through fundraising and co-productions of projects by Austrian artists at Biennials and comparable international festivals.
 

Back