Description

October 2015

Cleveland Museum of Art

Curator of Chinese Art

The Cleveland Museum of Art seeks a highly motivated, scholar of Chinese Art. Cleveland has one of the world’s most distinguished collections of Chinese art, ranging from the Neolithic period to the early 21st century, making this position an extraordinary opportunity.

The Curator of Chinese Art reports to the Deputy Director for Collections.

Primary responsibilities include:

•             Pursuing scholarly research to support acquisitions, the installation and conservation of the collection, exhibitions and publications.

•             In consultation with the Museum Director and the Deputy Director for Collections, reviewing and changing as necessary the current plan for the

development of the collection and acquiring major works of art through purchase and donation.

•             Installation of the galleries of Chinese Art, including the periodic rotation of light-sensitive materials.

•             Proposing ideas for exhibitions and publications and then, working with the Deputy Director of Collections and the Director of Exhibitions and Publications to develop projects.

•             Working with colleagues in the Education Department on programs related to the collection and didactic materials. Leveraging opportunities to utilize electronic means to interpret Chinese art.

•             Working with colleagues in Advancement to identify and nurture potential donors for projects related to the collection.

•             Working with conservators to provide proper care and conservation of the collection.

•             Establishing collaboration and partnership with peer institutions with significant Chinese holdings as well as institutions in China.

A Ph.D. in Art History is required, as is a minimum of five years of museum experience. Proficiency in Chinese and English is required. Candidates will be judged on their excellence and promise, scholarly record, and interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to work as part of a team is essential, as is basic supervisory experience. Candidates outside the United States are welcome to apply. Compensation commensurate with experience and qualifications. A full range of benefits accompanies this position.

Requirements

Letters of application for the position of Curator of Chinese Art must include the following:

A cover letter that addresses the candidate’s interest in the position.

A description not to exceed three pages describing the applicant’s area of research and its relationship to CMA’s collections.

A published paper or writing sample.

A complete curriculum vitae of education, employment, honors, awards, and publications.

The names and contact information of three references.

Please forward your credentials to careers@clevelandart.org

Job Information
  • Cleveland, Ohio, 44106-1797, United States
  • 24804563
  • October 23, 2015
  • Curator of Chinese Art
  • Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Curator
  • No
  • Full-Time
  • Indefinite
  • Ph.D.
  • 5-7 Years
  • 10-25%

About Cleveland Museum of Art

The Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) is known nationally and internationally for the quality and scope of its collection, which comprises some 45,000 objects and covers 6,000 years of art history. Founded in 1913, the CMA is today one of the world’s most distinguished comprehensive art museums and one of the top five in the country.

In 2013, the museum completed a $320 million renovation and expansion project designed by the architect Rafael Viñoly. The project, which was funded by a successful capital campaign, included the complete restoration of the original 1916 building and 1971 Marcel Breuer addition, as well as the addition of two symmetrical wings on the east and west sides. Central to the design is the large, light-filled Ames Family Atrium, enclosed by an elegantly soaring roof. The CMA is now considered one of the most beautiful and impressive civic spaces in Northeast Ohio and its galleries are among the finest of any museum.
Key elements of the expansion project include:
• An increase of 33 per cent in gallery space, with enhanced interpretation of the collection through state-of-the art technology as well as installations that engage both the first-time visitor and the long-time devotee;
• Gallery One, a 13,000-square-foot interactive introductory space that includes The Collection Wall, the largest multi-touch screen in the United States — a 40-foot, interactive, micro-tile wall that changes every 40 seconds and features more than 4,200 works of art from the permanent collection;
• The 39,000-square foot, glass-enclosed atrium—Cleveland’s largest free public space;
• A rededication of the Breuer building to its original mission of education with renovated classrooms, lecture and performance halls and a distance learning studio;
• Restored integrity of the 1916 building including upgraded mechanical and structural systems with the latest environmental controls throughout;
• Improved and expanded special exhibition spaces for preeminent loan exhibitions from around the world;
• A more prominent location for the Ingalls Library, including an expanded reading room.
The CMA has more than 400 employees and an operating budget of $38 million. Its endowment now stands at more than $750 million. Founded “for the benefit of all the people forever,” the CMA remains free to all visitors with attendance at close to 600,000 annually.

The museum’s most recent strategic plan, completed in 2010, stresses the primary importance of the collection as the foundation for everything the museum does. It also underscores the primacy of the visitor experience and the museum’s participation in the life of the city and the surrounding community while balancing local responsibility with a national and international presence. The museum is about to develop a new strategic plan that will establish the vision and guide the work of the next five years.

Human Resources