Stefan van Raay
Profile
Stefan van Raay (b. 1954, Rotterdam) is an art historian and a highly creative and experienced art and museum professional. He is skilled in organising national and international exhibitions and works as a consultant to museums and collection managers worldwide. He is keen to coach colleagues and others in his field.
Van Raay has written many articles and publications on a wide range of art historical and art related topics. Marketing and fundraising are at the core of his experience and he conducts feasibility studies and professional training programmes. During his time as Director of Pallant House Gallery Chichester, the gallery was voted Museum of the Year (2007) and won the UK's most prestigious award, the Gulbenkian Prize for Museums and Art Galleries.
Van Raay aims to programme a combination of historical, modern and contemporary art. The exhibitions are accompanied by a learning and community programme for which he has received much acclaim.
Education
Art history and archaeology
University of Amsterdam | 1986
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Graduated cum laude in History of Art of the Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo and Enlightenment (1500 – 1800)​​​
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Selected Publications
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‘Regis Goncalves: The Fly and the Man with the Golden Possessions’ – Amsterdam (2024)
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‘Leonora Carrington: Revelation’ – Madrid (2023)
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‘Edward James: Solo lo marvilloso es bello’, - Mexico City (2022)
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‘Leonora Carrington’ – Copenhagen (2022)
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‘Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera’ – Amstelveen (2021)
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‘Leonora Carrington: Magical Tales’ – Mexico City (2018)
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‘Lee Miller: Surrealist Photographer’ – Mexico City (2015)
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‘Desconocida, Unknown, Ukjent: by Lise Bjørne Linnert’ – Ireland (2012)
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‘Surreal Friends: Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo and Kati Horna’- London (2010)
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‘Modern British Art at Pallant House Gallery’- London (2004)
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‘The Art of Drawing & Painting’ – Chichester (1999)
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‘Gallery of Modern Art Glasgow: The First Years’ – London (1996)
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‘Imitation & Inspiration: Japanese Influence on Dutch Art’ – Amsterdam (1989)
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‘The Royal Progress of William & Mary: Houses and Gardens of Their Time’ – Amsterdam/London (1988)
Work experience
Director Cobra Museum of Modern Art, Amstelveen | 2018 – 2024
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Appointed to carry out a reorganization with the aim of making the museum financially healthy and optimizing the relationship with the municipality of Amstelveen. Compiling a multi-year policy plan and programming.​
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Major exhibitions include:
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This is Surrealism! The Museum Boijmans Masterpieces (2020)
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Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera. A Love Revolution (2021)
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The Other Story, Moroccan Modernism from 1950 to the present (2022)
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Cosmogony: Zinsou, an African Art Collection (2022-2023)
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Cobra 75: Freedom without Borders (2023)
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Anton Corbijn – MOØDe (2023-2024)
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Guest curator for Leonora Carrington, Revelacíon at Arken Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen, Denmark (2022) and at Fundacion Mapfre, Madrid, Spain (2023)
Guest curator Museum of Modern Art,
Mexico City | 2012 – 2018
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Lee Miller: Surrealist Photographer (2015-2016) as part of the Cultural Year United Kingdom – Mexico
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Leonora Carrington: Magic Tales (2018) and in Museum of Contemporary Art in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico (2018-2019)
Director Pallant House Gallery Chichester,
West Sussex | 1997 – 2012
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Raised 8.6 million pounds for a contemporary wing to the Grade I listed building in a conservation area in an English cathedral city, 6.7 million pounds for an endowment fund and ca. 15 million pounds for annual costs;
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In 2006 re-opened a transformed Gallery, described by critics as ‘the most important collection of 20th century British art outside Tate in the world’;
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Major exhibitions include:
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Eye-Music: Kandinsky, Klee and all that Jazz (2007)
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Surreal Friends: Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo and Kati Horna (2010)
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Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: Masterpieces from the Gelman Collection (2011)
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Edward Burra (2011-2012)
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Peter Blake and Pop Music (2012)
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Senior curator art Glasgow Museums,
Glasgow | 1993 – 1997
The Glasgow Museums owns the largest art collection outside London in the UK.
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Head of a team of 12 curators at the Burrell Collection. Responsible for a wide-ranging art collection from Egyptian antiquities to contemporary art;
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Project Manager for the refurbishment and opening of the new Gallery of Modern Art in 1996;
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Responsible for major exhibitions including The Charles Rennie Mackintosh Retrospective (1996), which toured to New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.
Head of exhibitions & member of directorate
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam | 1990 – 1993
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Initiated a series of international exhibitions and publications on 19th and early 20th century art.
Co-founder d’Arts, Amsterdam 1986 – 1990
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Worked as an art historical consultant on art historical publications, exhibitions and a variety of other related projects.
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