Jeffrey Deitch, the director of Los Angeles’ Museum of Contemporary Art, is leaving the position, according to reports. During Deitch’s tenure, the museum weathered near financial collapse, but the New Yorker reportedly had trouble getting along with the museum’s board.
The news was first reported by LA Weekly on Monday. The publication could not get a hold of MOCA officials, but their source insisted that Deich will leave by the end of the month. An announcement could happen as soon as today, when MOCA’s board has a meeting.
According to The New York Times, he has told trustees about his plans and the board will start a search committee after it receives the news officially.
Deitch was appointed to the position after running the New York gallery Deitch Projects, which he set up more as a private museum. He was named MOCA director in 2010, when its endowment reached as low as $10 million and there were rumors that it would merge with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
But Deitch believed that the best way to get MOCA back to prominence was to bring in new talent and create unique exhibitions. It got off to a rocky start with a Dennis Hopper photography exhibition, but his more recent exhibitions earned better responses.
However, some members of the board disagreed with his hiring and resigned. He told the NY Times in 2012 that he has constantly being forced to be defensive in the LA art crowd.
LA Weekly was told by former editor Tom Christie that Deitch is planning on moving back to New York City. Deitch did not comment.