“This has been an extraordinary opportunity to lead MoMA PS1 over the last (nearly) three years and to work with all of you alongside our Board, patrons, and funders,” Fowle said in an email to museum staff according to The New York Times. “I want you to know that I have deep respect and admiration for you all, and that I am incredibly proud of all the work we have achieved together.” 

Fowle hasn’t provided any reasoning behind her departure, however, an unnamed source told The New York Times that she had expressed difficulty managing her job during a meeting with MoMA PS1’s chair Sarah Arison and MoMA’s director Glenn D. Lowry. 

While a lot of Fowle’s time has been spent mitigating the challenges brought by the pandemic throughout her brief tenure as director, there seemed to be a lot of optimism over her progressive vision for the museum. Shortly after her appointment in 2019, MoMA PS1 started a program called “Homeroom”, an exhibition space curated by community groups. Fowle also had plans to convert the museum’s entrance into a permanent public plaza in an effort to strengthen the institution’s connection with the neighboring Queens and Brooklyn communities. Just two months ago, Fowle told The New York Times her intentions to establish a distinct identity for the museum that focused on community outreach and addressing social justice issues.

In her staff note, Fowle said she would see through her role as co-curator of a show by Daniel Lind-Ramos slated for April 2023. The museum will be temporarily led by deputy director Jose Ortiz, director of external affairs Molly Kurzium, and curator Ruba Katrib, overseen by Arison and Lowry.