Washington businessman and art collector Daniel H. Sallick has been elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the museum announced.
“We’re now doing the kinds of things that we’ve always talked about, and keeping people on their toes about what we’re going to do next,” Sallick, 48, said. “Our program needs to be as diverse and exciting as contemporary art, and you’re starting to see that now.”
Chiu welcomed the selection of Sallick, saying his knowledge of the museum and of contemporary art is an asset. He is the first locally based board leader in 12 years, she said.
“He knows Washington and we’re interested in expanding our Washington audience,” she said. “About 20 percent of audience is local, and that’s high for a Smithsonian (museum) but we’d like to expand it.”
Sallick is co-founder of Home Front Communications, which last year merged with Elmendorf/Ryan to become the public affairs agency, Subject Matter. His art collecting focuses on video, photography and text.
Sallick will lead a much-expanded and diverse board. With the addition of investor and collector Adam Singer of Phoenix, membership is now 24, or double the number it was when Chiu arrived in October of 2014. Members come from around the country and the world.
“We are gaining expertise on the board in critical areas such as real estate, finance, technology and collecting contemporary art from emerging areas like Asia and the Middle East. It adds a lot to the dynamic,” Sallick said.
J. Tomilson Hill and Janine Hill have donated $500,000 in celebration of Sallick’s election and in support of Chiu, the museum announced. J. Tomilson Hill is a former chairman of the museum’s board and Janine is a current board member.
“It was a very nice way of supporting our new vision for the Hirshhorn that we’ve been developing for the last year,” Chiu said.