Interim Curator of Modern Art and Design

Smart Museum of Art / Office of Provost

Position Description

The Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago (smartmuseum.uchicago.edu), located in one of the nation’s greatest cities for art and on the campus of one of the world’s leading research universities opens the world through art and ideas. The Smart Museum is widely known for its ambitious exhibitions and programs; its collaborations with scholars and education of students have animated its collection both historically and conceptually. The Museum plays a central role in the University’s arts initiative, which has brought extraordinary new focus and energy to the arts on campus. At the same time, the Museum collaborates closely with other units on campus as well as institutions and scholars in the city and across the country. Its exhibition projects often arise from partnerships with other institutions and travel nationally and internationally. The Smart Museum is also deeply dedicated to engaging its surrounding communities through programming related to these exhibitions and its permanent collection in ways that offer visitors of all ages a transformative experience of significant and often unexpected examples of artistic expression.

 

The University of Chicago is committed to the study of the Modern world, with a wide range of centers, institutes, and faculty members focused on this period. Modern art and design is an important focus of the Department of Art History and other areas of the University and a core component of the Smart’s permanent collection. Within the broad parameters of Western modern art and design (defined broadly as the United States and Europe, circa 1870s to mid-1970s) there are strong concentrations in 1930s–50s American painting and sculpture; 1890s–1930s German and Central European painting, sculpture, and works on paper; 1915–1965 British painting, sculpture, and works on paper; 1890s–1950s American, British, and German design in all media including stellar holdings by Frank Lloyd Wright and American studio ceramics; and European and American sculpture and sculptors’ drawings, and photography.  However exhibition, acquisition, and research activity is not limited to these areas.

 

Recent exhibitions include Expressionist Impulses: German and Central European Art, 1890-1990, Objects and Voices: A Collection of Stories, and Carved, Cast, Crumpled: Sculpture All Ways, Expressionist Impulses and upcoming projects include Monster Roster, Revolution of the Eye: Modern Art and the Birth of American Television, Vostell’s Concrete as part of Concrete Happenings, Revolution Every Day, and Allure of Matter.

 

Please note: The Smart Museum is currently conducting an international search for a new Director.  This full-time interim curatorial position has been created for approximately thirteen months beginning in November 2015 and ending December 31, 2016.  

 

General Summary: The Interim Curator of Modern Art and Design will serve as a coordinating curator for previously planned exhibitions, working closely with faculty, guest curators, and students, and in collaboration with other museum colleagues, to support, encourage, and develop related public programs that strengthen the Museum’s engagement with modern art and design.  As a member of the Smart Museum’s highly collaborative collections, exhibitions and education team, the interim curator has primary responsibility for the coordination of exhibition, research, and publication activity in this key area of the Smart Museum’s collection.  In addition, the curator encourages curricular and co-curricular collaboration with the Departments of Art History, Visual Arts and others whose content expertise aligns with modern exhibition projects. With the approval of the Department of Visual Arts and/or Art History, the Humanities Division, and the Provost Office, the interim curator may teach up to one quarter-long course per year, often directly related to the Museum’s collection.  Reporting to the Interim Director of the Smart Museum (or his designee), the Interim Modern Curator works in partnership with the other members of the collections, exhibition and education team (CEE) and works closely with faculty and other collaborative partners.

 

NOTE: Percentages in parentheses apply during the quarter when teaching.

 

Essential Functions:

50% (45%) As coordinating curator, work closely with faculty, guest curators students, and other Smart Museum colleagues to support, encourage, and develop exhibitions and related public programs that strengthen the Museum’s engagement with modern art.

 

30% (25%) As a member of the Smart Museum’s highly collaborative collections, exhibitions and education team (CEE), the Interim modern curator has primary responsibility for directing exhibition, research, publication activities and acquisitions in this key area of the Smart Museum’s collection.

 

10% (20%) Encourage curricular and co-curricular collaboration with the Departments of Art History, Visual Arts and others whose content expertise aligns with the modern exhibition projects. With the approval of the Department of Visual Arts and/or Art History, the Humanities Division, and the Provost Office teach up to one quarter-long course per year, often directly related to the Museum’s collection.

 

10% Serve as a member of the Smart Museum’s staff and assist with various programs and projects, including developing and managing exhibition budgets and other duties as assigned.

 

Qualifications

 

  • A deep familiarity with American and European art between 1870s and mid-1960s required.
  • An advanced degree in Art History or a related field or equivalent relevant experience required. A Ph.D is preferred.
  • Eagerness to work within the unique environment of a research university such as the University of Chicago, where a commitment to rigorous debate, field-changing research, and boundary-breaking collaborations is fundamental, required.
  • At least three (3) years of progressively more responsible experience working in art museums on a part-time or full-time basis required.
  • A record of innovative research and exhibitions that make contributions to the field preferred.
  • Dedication to the care and stewardship of the permanent collection and knowledge of conservation issues preferred.
  • Familiarity with the full range of current issues in museum practice particularly as they affect the acquisition, exhibition, and interpretation of modern art required.
  • Familiarity with budget planning and management preferred.
  • A substantial commitment to collaboration of all types, with museum colleagues, students, faculty, and external partners required.
  • Comfort in establishing positive and effective relationships with internal and external communities, including major donors and collectors, board members, artists, members of the press, art dealers, professionals at other institutions, faculty, students, and the public required.
  • Experience teaching in a college and or graduate programs preferred.
  • Exceptional organizational skills required. Must be able to oversee complex projects and schedules, maintain deadlines, work within budgets, with the ability to set priorities and manage several projects simultaneously required. Ability to successfully manage a workload that balances long-range planning with the unanticipated daily demands of art exhibition spaces required.
  • Excellent written and spoken communication skills with the ability to synthesize and accurately present relevant information required. Marketing and communications experience including digital communications such as developing web content related to exhibition programming preferred.
  • Knowledge of database management software preferred
  • Willingness and ability to work occasional evenings and weekends as required.  

 

Mental Demands:

  • Organizational and human relations skills with ability to collaborate well and supportively and cultivate good relationships with colleagues within the Museum and its many collaborators.
  • The temperament to work with a diverse and demanding population is expected.
  • Must be self-directed and self-motivated, able to set goals and develop projects.
  • Clear, effective, and tactful oral and written communication skills; ability to handle sensitive information with discretion.
  • Ability to prioritize and execute multiple tasks simultaneously with an ability to view a project in its entirety.

 

Physical Demands:

  • The successful oversight of exhibition installations in a 10,000 square foot set of galleries requires the ability to conduct regular building rounds and stand for extended periods of time.  
  • Considerable office work.
  • Ability to occasionally travel out of town.  

 

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities associated with it.

 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status or status as an individual with disability.  The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity / Disabled / Veterans Employer. (humanresources.uchicago.edu/fpg/policies/200/p201.shtml)

 

Application Procedure

Qualified applicants are required to apply online at jobs.uchicago.edu, including a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and three (3) references.  We will begin to review applications the week of November 1, 2015 and will continue until a candidate is selected.