From the Director
“It is a great privilege to lead the National Gallery of Canada. A thrilling adventure awaits us – one that builds on a rich tradition, a world-class collection, and the dedication of the institution’s incredible staff. Human creativity is mankind’s most powerful and sustainable resource – without it we do not stand a chance negotiating the present, let alone creating a future that we cannot see. Artists are the greatest reminder that the human imagination is limitless; art museums ensure that their ideas and perspectives are cared for and amplified for years to come.”
As Director and CEO of the National Gallery of Canada, Dr. Sasha Suda is responsible for providing corporate leadership for the management of the museum’s resources, assets and staff. A passionate believer in the power of art to ignite the collective imagination, Dr. Suda is committed to fostering a workplace culture and Gallery experience in which people feel accepted, valued and connected.
Dr. Suda began her career in the Medieval Department at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Most recently, she served as the Curator of European Art and the R. Fraser Elliott Chair of Prints and Drawings at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) where she made transformational acquisitions and significantly expanded her portfolio’s scope of collecting to include contemporary art.
Recent projects include a collaboration on Ethiopian Art with the University of Toronto, and Early Rubens, a major international exhibition conceived and co-curated by Dr. Suda in partnership with the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Her award-winning 2016 exhibition, Small Wonders: Gothic Boxwood Miniatures, hosted a record number of visitors and forged a historic partnership between the AGO, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Rijksmuseum.
As the youngest woman appointed to the helm of the National Gallery of Canada, Dr. Suda leads according to the conviction that “what’s good for art is good for Canada and for the world.” It is her ambition to uphold a Gallery that is art-centered, generous and accessible to all.
Dr. Suda holds a Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University, a Master of Arts from Williams College, and a PhD in Art History from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University.