Tag: telfair museums

Curator of Contemporary Art

Telfair Museums, Savannah, GA

The Telfair Museums in Savannah, GA, is seeking a dynamic and ambitious Curator of Contemporary Art (CCA) to support the needs of its diverse exhibitions and collections programs. The CCA will work with the museum’s director and curatorial colleagues to develop and guide the focus of Telfair Museums’ growing contemporary art program. He/she will mount innovative and engaging contemporary exhibitions and installations while also overseeing the management and growth of the Telfair’s collection of contemporary art. He/she will be a valued member of the curatorial team, assisting in the cultivation of collectors and donors, participating in development and public relations, and fostering relationships both within the Savannah community and on the national art scene. He/she will be a passionate advocate for contemporary art and artists, an excellent public speaker, and a proven author of both scholarly publications and interpretation for general audiences. Savannah boasts a thriving and growing arts community, and the work of the CCA will help the Telfair Museums solidify the city’s national reputation as an arts destination.

About Telfair Museums

Telfair Museums, founded through the bequest of Savannah philanthropist Mary Telfair, opened to the public in 1886, establishing it as the oldest art museum in the South.  The museum took a bold step forward in 2006 with the opening of a new contemporary building designed by Moshe Safdie. Known as the Jepson Center for the Arts, the new building features over 7,500 square feet of gallery space for major traveling exhibitions of contemporary art and installations of works from the permanent collection. The Jepson Center is home to the Telfair Museums’ Kirk Varnedoe Collection, a cornerstone of the museum’s contemporary holdings. Assembled in honor of the late Savannah native, scholar, and MoMA curator Kirk Varnedoe, the collection features works on paper by some of the most pivotal artists of the past fifty years, including Jasper Johns, Chuck Close, Roy Lichtenstein, Jeff Koons, Robert Rauschenberg, Ed Ruscha, Frank Stella, Ellsworth Kelly, and Richard Avedon. The museum’s contemporary collection also features works by Romare Beardon, William Christenberry, Helen Levitt, Sam Gilliam, and James Brooks. Inclusive of the contemporary works, the museum houses a collection of approximately 4,500 fine and decorative art objects plus three architecturally-significant buildings.

Application Procedures

Applications must be received by May 25, 2012. Please submit a current résumé, including list of exhibitions curated and three professional references, to the attention of Sandy Hadaway, Administrator, Telfair Museums, P.O. Box 10081, Savannah, GA 31412 or hadaways@telfair.org.  All applications will be held in confidence.

Requirements

M.A. in art history with a specialization in contemporary art or M.F.A. in studio art; Ph.D preferred. Three to five years of professional experience as a museum curator, with a demonstrated history of organizing and managing ambitious exhibitions and installations. Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to manage several demanding projects simultaneously with excellent attention to detail; strong interpersonal skills. Solid national network of relationships with artists, dealers, and scholars.