For the first time, a foreigner has been appointed as the head of the national contemporary art museum by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
 
The ministry said on Wednesday that Bartomeu Mari Ribas, former head of the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA), will lead the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA).
 
The ministry said Mari will take office on December 14th and serve three years until 2018. 
 
Mari’s appointment will likely cause controversy in the art community as some South Korean artists have already expressed their opposition to his appointment, citing his past of inappropriate decisions during his tenure at the Barcelona museum.