Message Beatrix Ruf and Supervisory Board

After close consultation, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and its former director, Beatrix Ruf, have agreed to leave the past behind. As previously reported, Ruf will not return to the Museum in the role of adviser or director. She may, however, be invited to be involved in a specific exhibition or in other museum projects, under the responsibility of a future, as yet unappointed, artistic director. These agreements were reached in the past few weeks, following consultations between Truze Lodder, as chairperson of the Supervisory Board, and Beatrix Ruf.

“An independent investigation has cleared Beatrix Ruf of allegations reported in the media,” emphasises Truze Lodder, “the report showed that Beatrix Ruf acted with integrity: her management BV was not an art consultancy and all of her side activities were approved by the then Supervisory Board. She has always put her heart and soul into the museum, and provided an impetus to the current artistic policy. In the future, the museum will treat her with the respect to which a former director of the Stedelijk is entitled.”

Beatrix Ruf is satisfied with the position taken by the Stedelijk. “My time as a director was one of the most rewarding chapters of my life and now, with this exoneration, it can become a happy memory,” says Ruf. "I am confident that the Stedelijk has a bright future ahead of it. And, if asked to do so, as former director I would of course be more than happy to make a small contribution to that every now and then.”