The plenary session of the Royal Board of Trustees of the Prado Museum has ratified the appointment of the current director of the Museum of Fine Arts of Asturias, Alfonso Palacioas new deputy director of Conservation and Research at the proposal of the director Miguel Falomir Faus.
This Thursday, under the presidency of the Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasunthe plenary session has seen first-hand the report on the institution’s activities, which highlights the increase in exhibitions, educational and social work, as well as the increase in the number of visitors. The minister has highlighted the importance that large institutions such as the Prado Museum have as an example and driving force of culture throughout the national territory.
This replacement concludes the transition process that began a few months ago when, until now, the deputy director, Andres Ubedaannounced his decision to leave his position and run for the position of director of the Academy of Rome. Marina Chinchilla, as deputy director of administration, completes the first line of the Museum’s management team.
At the Plenary Meeting, Miguel Falomir thanked Úbeda for his work and commitment throughout the seven years that he has been at the head of the Deputy Directorate, emphasizing that “without his contribution the success of the museum in the areas of conservation and education, as well as the excellence of the Study Center and the very high level of the temporary exhibitions.
Andrés will continue in his position until Alfonso Palacio joins in the month of February. Once this incorporation has materialized, the new tasks that Úbeda will take care of in the Conservation Area will be communicated.
Alfonso Palacio, 49 years old, has a doctorate in Art History from the University of Oviedo, extraordinary award for Bachelor’s and Doctorate degrees, and is currently the director of the Museum of Fine Arts of Asturias, a position he reached in 2013 through a competition. Between 2006 and 2013 he was a professor of Art History at the aforementioned University.
His scientific work has been oriented towards the study of Asturian, Spanish and international contemporary art of the 20th and 21st centuries, to which he has dedicated numerous publications. In these years he has carried out excellent work at the head of the institution he directs with a notable increase in exhibition activity – more than 70 exhibitions, alone or in collaboration with large museums around the world -, in addition to series of conferences – more of 125-, of classical music, cinema and extensive and award-winning educational work.
During his mandate, the first expansion of the Museum of Fine Arts has been successfully completed in March 2015, as well as the subsequent reorganization of all the collections, rehabilitation and fine-tuning of the historic buildings throughout 2015 and 2016.
In 2024, Phase II of the Expansion of the aforementioned museum has been launched. Between 2021 and 2024, the Museum of Fine Arts of Asturias has stood out for the incorporation and enhancement of 22 deposits from the collections of the National Prado Museum, the Bellas Asturias being an example in the development of the ‘El Prado Extendido’ project .
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