Chicago's Art Institute, the third most important museum in the U.S. (after Manhattan's Metropolitan and Washington's National Gallery), has a new director: owlish John Maxon, 42, who made his reputation for lively exhibitions and museum-community cooperation as director of the comparatively tiny museum of the Rhode Island School of Design.
Since the resignation of Daniel Catton Rich last year, the Chicago Institute has been run by Acting Director Allan McNab, with a powerful assist from strong-minded Katherine Kuh, curator of paintings and sculpture. McNab will stay on as director of administration (staff: 405), thus freeing Maxon for matters of art. A bachelor,...