Spaniard is new director of Tate Modern

A Spanish art expert, Vicente Todoli, has been appointed the new director of London's Tate Modern art gallery, it was announced earlier today.
Todoli 43, who has worked in visual arts for two decades, is currently the director of the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art in Porto, Portugal.

He will take up his new post early next year, but will be involved in decision making and programming at Tate Modern from this September.

The modern art gallery, which opened in 2000 in a former power station on the south bank of the River Thames, "has been one of the great successes of the last five years and has changed the London art scene forever," said Todoli. He told reporters that he looked forward to the challenge of taking Tate Modern forward into the next decade.

Todoli replaces Lars Nittve, who has directed the Tate Modern since its launch. Nittve announced last June that he was leaving to return to his native Sweden.

Todoli, who studied art history in the United States, was chief curator and artistic director of Spain's Instituto Valenciano de Arte Moderno in his home city of Valencia before joining the Serralves museum as its founding director in 1996.

He has also acted as an adviser to several European galleries and curated the works of many artists, including the late Spanish sculptor Juan Munoz, who last year created a giant installation for the Tate Modern's imposing Turbine Hall.

Nicholas Serota, director of all four Tate galleries, said the Tate Modern was delighted "that we have been able to attract a director of such evident talent and distinction."