International curator Gabriele Finaldi was appointed director of the National Gallery in 2015. A lifelong lover of art, he has said: “museums have a responsibility to the people to protect and share the collection”. Finaldi has brought an enthusiastic and innovative approach, being a keen and positive proponent of digital engagement. Previous investment into its digital work paid dividends for the National Gallery once museums were forced to close during lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. Successful examples are the One Painting, Many Voices initiative and the popularity of online teaching and lectures, and Finaldi is keen to continue to capitalise off these and expand the Gallery’s accessibility even after restrictions are fully eased. He has curated exhibitions across Europe and written copious catalogues and scholarly articles.
