The committee selected economist Rösla for the position of director of the NG

Prague - The selection committee has recommended economist Vladimír Rösel for the position of general director of the National Gallery, confirmed the Ministry of Culture today to ČTK. Minister Jiří Besser has already received all the necessary documents, including the minutes from the committee's meeting and its voting. Whether Besser will confirm the committee's selection or initiate another round of the selection process is expected to be clear on Monday. This was stated by the minister's spokesman Stanislav Brunclík.
      According to him, Jiří Besser will review the documents from the ten-member committee over the weekend. "There are two options. Either the minister will endorse the committee's recommendation, or he will invite some of the candidates for personal interviews, just as was done in the selection of the director of the National Technical Museum," Brunclík stated. He added that the minister is likely to lean towards the second option.
      Besides Rösel, the position of the director of the National Gallery is also contested by art historian Jiří Fajt, head of the Moravian Gallery in Brno Marek Pokorný, and former advisor to then Prague Mayor Pavel Bém, Michail Odarčenko.
      Rösel does not want to disclose details about his management concept for this institution yet. "Of course I have some ideas, but the specific steps should only be announced by the potential director of the NG after they become sufficiently acquainted with the office," Vladimír Rösel told ČTK today.
      According to him, a fundamental generational change in the NG is not necessary. "I have known the institution for nearly thirty years and I think that its professional and internal functioning is fine. My potential goal would rather be to move the NG a bit forward," Rösel added.
      However, some representatives of the art community disagree with the committee's selection. "The election of this candidate is, in my opinion, a political act. The professional aspect of the NG is certainly not in order, and by selecting Mr. Rösel, only cosmetic changes will be achieved," artist Jiří David told ČTK.
      Vladimír Rösel is the managing director of Lombard Advisory Partners, which deals with investments, private capital management, business restructuring, and real estate trading. In the 1980s, he worked as a lecturer at the Prague NG and has experience from the Guggenheim Museum in New York. He already participated in the previous competition for the head of the NG, in which he argued that the National Gallery is very well managed by professionals and needs more of a manager or an economic director at its helm.
      The new general director of the NG is expected to be appointed by June 1.