After three years on the job, Storefront for Art and Architecture director Joseph Grima is stepping down from his post, and the New York City–based organization is looking for his successor. A former editor and adviser at Domus, Grima was relatively unknown when he was picked from an international search in 2006 to assume a role previously held by Kyong Park, Shirin Neshat, and Sarah Herda. His impressive tenure at Storefront raised both his own and the institution’s visibility.
Grima oversaw the restoration of Storefront’s iconic Kenmare Street façade, designed by artist Vito Acconci and architect Steven Holl in 1993, and published the historic capstone, Storefront Newsprints 1982–2009. He expanded the galley’s reach beyond New York City with temporary Pop-Up Storefronts in Los Angeles, London, and Tianjin. Events such as Postopolis!, held in New York and L.A., brought together critical thinkers, writers, and designers in dialogue and established the gallery’s influence in the new media landscape.
“I always imagined Storefront as a network of exchange,” Grima explains. “It is more than just events happening in the space—it includes the online community that takes part in the programming at a distance. For example, the White House Redux competition represented 40 countries, with a 1,000 people participating. The international dialogue was crucial, even more so than the exhibition itself.”
Storefront’s newfound global position may prove a boon for the organization as the board looks to fill his shoes. “Joseph set the bar high. He made the position one that will interest many people worldwide,” says board member and architect Charles Renfro, a partner at Diller Scofidio + Renfro. “We’re in a position to leverage his reign to get an equally ambitious and smart director.”
Grima’s three-year contract is up and he is departing to take on a new project in Europe. The details are to be announced in the next few weeks, but according to Grima, the position will build on his previous editorial experience. He will remain Storefront’s director emeritus until the board hires a replacement.
