[intro]Three prominent museum moves [/intro]

Carol Vogel reports that Mary Morton will move from the J. Paul Getty Museum to the National Gallery of Art to run the French paintings department:

Ms. Morton, 44, is currently developing an online catalog of the Getty’s painting collection. In Los Angeles she has organized several exhibitions, including “Sur le Motif: Painting in Nature Around 1800,” in 2008, and “Oudry’s Painted Menagerie,” in 2007.

Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art announced that Chief Curator, Elizabeth Stein will resign her post as of August 31, according to the Chicago Tribune:

Smith, 51, was appointed chief curator in 1999. “I feel that I’ve accomplished a lot here. I’m interested and eager to do new things,” possibly museum work elsewhere or “something in a university setting,” she said in a telephone interview. Her resignation was her decision, by her account and Grynsztejn’s.

Gregory Perry was announced as the new Director of Operations and Administration at the UK’s National Gallery. It requires that he leave his job as the director of the Allentown Museum, a position he has held since January 2008:

”This is a kind of once in a lifetime opportunity,” Perry said. He said he was asked to apply by National Gallery Director Nicholas Penny. ”It took a long time for me to decide because I had such a good time here. It’s been a very good experience for me in the community.”

Perry, 49, said one of the deciding factors was that his wife, Sue Jones, an art historian, is from England and returning will give her ”an opportunity to pursue her career more in earnest.” Perry leaves in the midst of a number of major projects.

The art museum is closing in on a decision about a major expansion project that has been in the design phase for many years. It faces potential cutbacks in state funding. And it is also ”very close,” Perry said, to bringing in a major gift of both art and financial support. The announcement is expected in August.

MCA’s Chief Curator to Step Down (Chicago Tribune)

Allentown Art Museum Executive Director to Leave Post (Allentown Morning Call)