Curator of Southeast Asian and Pacific Arts [Fowler Museum at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA]

Description

The Fowler Museum at UCLA seeks an experienced, creative, and team-oriented Curator of Southeast Asian and Pacific Arts who has extensive knowledge of the arts of the region, including traditional genres (sculpture, textiles, and basketry, among others) and popular and contemporary expressions, and who will have direct responsibility over museum programming and collections in these areas. This position reports to the Chief Curator and participates directly in the Fowler’s exhibition development team. The incumbent will also oversee exhibition projects proposed by guest curators and borrowed from other institutions that are related broadly to the arts of Asia and the Pacific.

Background:

The Fowler Museum at UCLA explores global arts and cultures with an emphasis on works from Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and the indigenous Americas—past and present. The Fowler enhances understanding and appreciation of the diverse peoples, cultures, and religions of the world through dynamic exhibitions, publications, and public programs, informed by interdisciplinary approaches and the perspectives of the cultures represented. The Fowler is known for its dynamic and innovative traveling exhibition program and its scholarly publications. The Museum’s mission has expanded in recent years to include a strong focus on contemporary artistic production from the regions of the world the Fowler has long represented, and one of the goals is to show how artistic creativity is flourishing in the postcolonial, transnational contexts in which artists find themselves today.

The Fowler Museum was founded in 1963 to consolidate the multicultural collections on campus and to make them accessible to the University community and to the general public. In the course of its first fifty years, the Fowler Museum has presented more than 250 exhibitions, published 134 scholarly volumes, and has become one of the premier repositories of world arts. Its art and ethnographic collections now include more than 125,000 objects from six continents, and archaeological holdings exceed 600,000 items, offering a comprehensive resource for exhibitions, scholarship, and teaching central to the Museum’s mandate. The Fowler acknowledges the significance of a diverse range of art forms: sculpture; textiles; and painting; popular, commercial, and ephemeral arts; and performance arts.

The 100,000-sq.-ft. Museum houses its renowned collections and 20,000 sq.-ft. of exhibition space.  Full-time, permanent staff at the Museum numbers 35. Currently, 30 volunteers contribute their time and expertise to a variety of departments, including curatorial, collections (including archaeology), photography, conservation, public events, Museum store, and membership. UCLA students are employed in many of the Museum’s departments, including curatorial, education, collections, programming, security, and administration.

Each year, the Fowler develops four to five large-scale and six to eight small-scale temporary exhibitions. Interdisciplinary, humanities-based research is integral to the Fowler’s mission and exhibitions showcase the most up-to-date scholarship on a geographical area, culture(s), and/or artistic genres as well as the work of emerging and mid-career international artists. The Fowler also has up to 5 traveling exhibitions on view at other museums at any one time.

Among its contemporaries nationwide, the Fowler is highly respected in the museum field and recognized for doing projects with ambitious and original content, innovative thematic approaches, research-based interdisciplinary scholarship, and inventive installation design. The Fowler is a leading academic publisher of single- and multi-authored scholarly volumes.

Summary of Responsibilities:

The Curator of Southeast Asian and Pacific Arts will: 1) develop exhibitions drawing on Fowler collections or on specific research interests (including field research), from traditional to contemporary subjects as well as commissioning artist projects; 2) conceive and contribute to publications accompanying Fowler-originated exhibitions; 3) research works in the collections and develop scholarly documentation; 4) build the Museum’s collections in existing areas of strength and identify new and contemporary collecting areas; and 5) participate in the development of relevant grants and other fundraising applications and in the cultivation and solicitation of donors for programmatic support and new acquisitions. As Curator the incumbent may supervise post-doc fellows and graduate students.

The incumbent  will report to the Chief Curator and will work closely with the departments of Education, Exhibitions, Publications, Communications, Development, and Finance on issues related to his or her areas of responsibility. The incumbent operates with a high degree of independence, determining priorities based on expertise and familiarity of the collections and programs of the museum.

Requirements

Advanced degree in relevant area, Ph.D. preferred.  At least three years of progressively responsible curatorial experience and a demonstrated record of scholarship, exhibitions, and publications. Extensive knowledge of the arts of the Indo-Pacific region. Proven ability to conceptualize, research, direct, and organize multifaceted and complex exhibitions and publications. Ability to conduct field research in areas of specialization. Ability to work collaboratively with Museum staff and other colleagues in the planning and development of exhibitions and publications.  Demonstrated ability to work with living artists and determine the terms and conditions for exhibitions and commissioned projects.  Working knowledge of legal and ethical aspects of collecting and  exhibiting in transnational and cross-cultural contexts.  Knowledge of interpretive strategies and issues related to exhibition design.  Demonstrated ability to write and edit exhibition texts.  Demonstrated ability to work with and mentor students in a university setting.  Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with diverse Museum, student, faculty, volunteer, and administrative personnel on University, local and international levels.   Demonstrated ability to present public lectures and give gallery tours.  Excellent interpersonal skills with donors, and demonstrated ability to secure donations of works of art and financial contributions in support of exhibitions.  Knowledge of museum standards for collections security and management.  Familiarity with contemporary conservation techniques and practices. Knowledge of and established relationships with, institutions and individuals with related collections or programs.  Knowledge of sources of funding for research and exhibitions, with demonstrated ability to pursue such funding.   Ability to work some weekends and evenings as needed.   Ability to travel on behalf of the Museum as necessary.

Additional Information:

UCLA offers full health, welfare, and retirement benefits to its permanent staff members; certain eligibility requirements must be met to qualify for all plans.

This is a full time exempt position with an anticipated annual salary of between $55,000 and $75,000.

All applicants are required to submit an application through the UCLA Career Opportunity site, accessible from the UCLA Gateway Employment page. Please select “Campus Job Openings” from http://www.ucla.edu/employment.html to submit an application.

The Requisition number for this position is 23580. The application deadline is May 14, 2016. Qualified candidates will be asked to provide writing samples.

Continued employment contingent upon completion of satisfactory background investigation.

UCLA is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.