The new director of the V&A in London visited Dundee waterfront on Wednesday and admitted he was impressed.
Martin Roth, who was appointed to the high-profile position by the V&A board of trustees and the prime minister less than a week ago, said he was delighted to be in the city and to see for himself where the new £45 million V&A at Dundee will be situated.
He met the director of the Dundee V&A project Philip Long before touring the nearby DCA and the McManus Art Gallery and Museum.
“It’s my fifth day as V&A director and it’s my first official visit, which I hope shows what I think of this exciting project,” he said. “The response it has received from people in the area is really amazing.
“I have been in this industry for the past 35 years and I have never seen such support.
The V&A at Dundee is a challenge because it is bringing a lot of new ideas together. But Dundee is a great city and the V&A will have a beautiful setting on the River Tay.”
Mr Roth replaces Mark Jones, who left to become a master of St Cross College at Oxford University.
He comes with an impressive CV that boasts 10 years of running Dresden’s extensive art collections and organising international shows.
Construction on the Dundee project is due to get under way next year, with the venue opening in 2015.