Warhol Museum director Tom Sokolowski steps down
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When Tom Sokolowski arrived in 1996, The Andy Warhol Museum was only a toddler, 2 years old and still working hard at solidifying its footing and developing its persona.
Baby, if they could see you now.
Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh announced on Monday that Mr. Sokolowski has resigned as director of the North Side museum, effective Dec. 31. He leaves behind an institution at the top of its game that has exported its namesake to five continents and changed the activist face of Pittsburgh.
Mr. Sokolowski, 60, the museum's third director, said he felt it was time to move on.
"At this point I think I've been here too long. And change is a good thing."
The decision to leave was Mr. Sokolowski's. "There have been times when I felt I was repeating myself," he said, referring to some of the museum's programming.
Mr. Sokolowski has a reputation for inventiveness, progressive attitude and civic activism, having assumed a leadership role in the larger cultural community and the city as well as at the museum. But he's learned when to pull back, too.
He has no plans to leave Pittsburgh in the near future and is exploring options. He said he doesn't think he wants to run another museum because such positions generally only become bigger and more cumbersome. He does want to continue to be associated with the arts, and to continue to be a provocateur, working "maybe in television journalism, academia or for a liberal cause."
Reflecting on the last 14 years, Mr. Sokolowski said that what made him most happy was "when people would say 'Only The Warhol could do that' or 'The Warhol should take that on." Others wouldn't do so because of age, or lack of funding, or they didn't have a pulpit or they were too frightened -- "Ooh, what would happen?" he said.
The Warhol also provided, under his tenure, "a home for the homeless. Pittsburgh doesn't always welcome newcomers and people who are different." '
The Good Fridays programming that Mr. Sokolowski initiated, when the museum is open until 10 p.m., admission is half-price, events are scheduled and socializing is encouraged, provided a welcoming arena for the city's gay community, among others.
First Published November 30, 2010 12:00 am
