Former Northwestern General Counsel Michael Weston took over as interim director of the Block Museum of Art Jan. 1 after the previous director left for another university.
Weston, who retired Aug. 31 after 11 years as general counsel, has been involved with the Block Museum since the 1970s. He has served as chairman of the acquisitions and advisory committees for the museum and was the primary legal contact for the museum through his role as general counsel, NU’s chief legal adviser.
Weston said he decided to come out of his four-month retirement to take over the Block museum at the request of provost’s office.
“I’ve always been interested in what used to be the Block Gallery and what is now the Block Museum,” he said. “(The position) seemed like it would be interesting and a lot of fun.”
Former Block Museum director David Mickenberg, who now heads the Davis Museum and Cultural Center at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, said Weston would do a good job of leading the Block Museum because of his vast experience with the museum and the university.
“All of those reasons, in addition to the fact that he’s a really bright, intelligent and nice human being, make him an ideal choice for the interim director position,” said Mickenberg, who was appointed to his new job in August.
Weston joined NU in 1973 as a university lawyer and was promoted to vice president for legal affairs in 1981. He became general counsel in 1990.
Weston said he will focus on being an administrative contact for the Block Museum staff. He also will serve on the search committee to choose a permanent director from a nationwide pool. Weston served on the committee that selected Mickenberg as director in December 1986.
Mickenberg said it was difficult to leave NU.
“While I very much like the administration and faculty at Northwestern, it was time to look for something different to do and other challenges,” he said.
Mickenberg, who was the second director of the Block Museum, oversaw the former gallery’s multimillion dollar transition to a museum. An $8 million renovation in 2000 added a second floor, several galleries and a multimedia classroom to the building at 1967 S. Campus Drive.
Mickenberg said although he enjoys his new job, he misses the people he used to work with.
“After 15 years, you don’t leave and not miss people, and not miss the work you did, and not miss the building you helped design,” he said.
The Block Museum houses more than 4,000 paintings and drawings, as well as sculptures.
