2008 TJC APPOINTS NEW DIRECTOR

NEW DIRECTOR ANNOUNCED FOR THE JOHNSTON COLLECTION

Mr Louis Le Vaillant has been appointed Director/Curator of The Johnston Collection, an exquisite museum of Georgian and Regency fine and decorative arts in East Melbourne.

Formerly Curator of Applied Arts at the Auckland War Memorial Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira, Mr Le Vaillant has over twenty years experience working in regional and metropolitan museums and art galleries in New Zealand. He has recently completed three new permanent collection-based design and decorative arts displays as part of Auckland Museum’s refurbishment programme.

Le Vaillant said he strongly believes in the role that museums and their collections play in society, the enjoyment they bring to the community and hopes to continue to develop the successful work of the immediate past Director, Nina Stanton.

Le Vaillant said that, ‘The Johnston Collection offers a wonderful opportunity to work at a house museum that has a brilliant collection of fine and decorative arts. I am learning more of its reputation as one of the unique jewels of Melbourne’s heritage and cultural life.’

In announcing the appointment of the new Director, the Chairman of the W. R. Johnston Trustees Mr Rodney Davidson AO OBE welcomed Mr Le Vaillant to the role and also paid tribute to the professionalism and creativity of the previous Director. ‘Over the last eight years Nina Stanton has overseen the physical expansion of The Johnston Collection and has raised the profile of the Museum through great programming in both The Johnston Collection House Museum and The Johnston Collection Gallery’, Mr Davidson said. In expressing sadness at her departure for personal reasons he said, ‘The Trustees are delighted to bestow upon her the highest honour possible by appointing her an Ambassador to The Johnston Collection.’

Mr Le Vaillant takes up the position on 17 November 2008.