Michael Rush (1949 – March 27, 2015) was an American ordained priest, actor, and art museum director.
Rush had doctorates in theology and psychology fromHarvard University.[1] He originally was an ordainedJesuit priest, but became an actor in the 1980s.[2] He founded an experimental theater, and also landed minor roles in theSpenser: For Hire andLaw & Order television series.[2] He wrote art criticism for theNew Haven Register, as well as books on video art and new media.[2][1] He was the only director of thePalm Beach Institute of Contemporary Art (2000-2005) during its brief existence, inPalm Beach, Florida.[3]
In 2006, Rush was appointed the Henry and Lois Foster Director of theRose Art Museum atBrandeis University inWaltham, Massachusetts.[1] In January 2009, Rush was at first "shell-shocked" by the surprise announcement of plans to permanently close the Rose Art Museum and sell off its collection, but he soon organized some of the initial opposition to the scheme.[4] His employment contract with Brandeis was not renewed in June 2009, effectively forcing him to leave.[5] Ironically, he had been principal contributor to a substantial book commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Rose Art Museum and featuring its collection, which was published byAbrams Books in late 2009.[6]
In December 2010, Rush secured a position as founding director of the newEli and Edythe Broad Art Museum atMichigan State University, a position he held until his death frompancreatic cancer on March 27, 2015, at the age of 65.[7][2]
