NEW YORK, NY-Dia Art Foundation announced today that Director Michael Govan has resigned to pursue an opportunity elsewhere. He leaves after having spent 11 years at Dia, leading it to its pre-eminent position in the art world. His passion for the work of artists who emerged in the 1960s and 70s is well-known, and his skills at overseeing projects from inception to completion have placed Mr. Govan at the pinnacle of his profession.

"Working with Michael Govan was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my lifetime," said Leonard Riggio, Chairman, Dia Art Foundation. "While the board and the staff of Dia are saddened by his departure, we are nonetheless grateful for all he has contributed. During the past six years in which I've been privileged to be Michael's partner in developing Dia, I have learned so much from him, and quite frankly have been in awe of his boundless energy and intelligence."

"Nevertheless, our commitment to artists has been a guiding force since Dia's founding in 1974, and indeed will continue many, many decades into the future," Mr. Riggio said. "In short, the important work we do at Dia has only just begun." Mr. Riggio went on to say that the goals and the mission of Dia remain unchanged: to preserve in perpetuity the important artists' projects which have been left in its trust; to add substantially to its permanent collection; to continue to develop Dia:Beacon by adding new buildings and installing new permanent exhibits; to contribute financial support and operate Dia's projects in the Western United States, including the Foundation's historic affiliation with the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, Texas; to fund new artists' projects; to seek an opportunity to open an exhibition center in New York City; and finally to provide an endowment sufficient to maintain the facilities and programs which have been established.

Dia's board of trustees will assign a committee to lead the search for a new director, and the process of interviewing prospective candidates will begin shortly thereafter.

Dia Art Foundation
Dia Art Foundation was founded in 1974. A nonprofit institution, Dia is internationally renowned for initiating, supporting, presenting, and preserving art projects. Dia presents public programs and its permanent collection of works from the 1960s through the present at Dia:Beacon, Riggio Galleries, in Beacon, New York, within a 300,000 square-foot former printing facility on the Hudson River. Additionally, Dia is pursuing plans to relocate its acclaimed contemporary exhibition program in New York City, and maintains long-term, site-specific projects in the western United States, in New York City, and on Long Island.