John and Barbara Vogelstein, Senior Curator of Contemporary Art

Brooklyn Museum

United States, New York, Brooklyn

200 Eastern Parkway (Show on map)

Nov 15, 2024

Position:
John and Barbara Vogelstein Senior Curator of Contemporary Art

Location:

Brooklyn, NY

Job Id:
106

# of Openings:
1

John and Barbara Vogelstein, Senior Curator of Contemporary Art

Museum overview

The Brooklyn Museum is a world-renowned cultural institution dedicated to preserving and showcasing art, history, and heritage. Our mission is to bring people together through art and experiences that inspire celebration, compassion, courage, and the will to act. Our vision is to serve as an institution where art is a powerful force for personal transformation and social change. Celebrating our differences and learning about our diverse communities through our collections, exhibitions, and programming is the core of who we are and what we do.

We are committed to creating and cultivating a diverse community of talented, passionate people who are inspired to make the Museum an important hub of community activity and a great global destination. Our staff have the opportunity to grow their professional skills and work collaboratively with colleagues they admire and respect.

About the role

The Brooklyn Museum is seeking a specialist in contemporary art to fill the position of John and Barbara Vogelstein Senior Curator of Contemporary Art, strengthening the development, research, presentation, interpretation, renown, and growth of the Museum's collection of contemporary art. Through exhibitions, collection installations, public programs, publications, and digital and social media, candidates will demonstrate a commitment to cultivating a diverse range of mediums within the collection. Their work will engage and amplify the voices, narratives, and perspectives of artists and Museum audiences; present diverse beliefs, cultures, and experiences; and support the Museum's goal of becoming a conduit for open sharing and learning, and a place for courageous conversations.

The candidate will have extensive experience in developing groundbreaking exhibitions and publications that celebrate artists of great import, and have a passion for contemporary art, including artists from areas representing our local communities. The candidate will join our team in building relationships with donors to support this important area of the collection. In addition, the candidate will connect with community stakeholders to create relationships that inform the Museum's programs and support its mission.

The John and Barbara Vogelstein Senior Curator of Contemporary Art will work collaboratively with others on the curatorial team and report to the Director of Curatorial Affairs. They will also work with the Director, Deputy Director for Art, Director of Curatorial Affairs, curators, and Board of Trustees to pursue acquisitions to strengthen the Museum's collections. The candidate will have demonstrated success in cultivating donor support for a broad range of departmental initiatives beyond exhibitions. They will play a leadership role in promoting the Brooklyn Museum's curatorial program, which requires constant engagement with stakeholders including the Board of Trustees, Collections Committee, colleagues, press, donors, external partners, community members, and the general public. In addition, the candidate will have a track record of championing the principles of DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access) in their curatorial practice.

Only applications with a cover letter will be considered.

Responsibilities

Lead initiatives and support the expansion and deepening of the Museum's collections of contemporary art through the acquisition of works of art of the highest quality, cultural significance, and relevance to the Museum
Work closely with the Director, Trustees, Development department, Director of Curatorial Affairs, and curatorial colleagues on acquisitions
Collaborate with Engagement, Public Programs, and Development staff to promote new acquisitions and collection-related activities on social media and the web, to increase media attention and audience engagement
Propose, organize, and coordinate innovative, canon-expanding exhibitions of contemporary art that draw from the Museum's holdings, as well as from other institutions and private collections, for exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum and for travel to other venues
Coordinate with the departments of Exhibitions; Publications, Interpretation, and Editorial Services; Conservation; Registration and Collections Management; Graphic Design; Exhibition Design; and Engagement to meet exhibition production schedule deadlines
Participate in the reinterpretation of the collection
Participate in the management of collections owned by and on loan to the Museum
Perform advanced scholarly art historical research on the collection and on prospective acquisitions and loans
Advocate for and assist in the development of public and educational programming to increase visibility of the collection and generate public interest
Engage with the public for tours and talks as relevant
Pursue broader research in areas of expertise for inclusion in studies, scholarly journals, lectures, symposia and colloquia, or exhibitions; consults sources in multiple languages
Provide accurate and informative responses to inquiries from outside scholars, colleagues, and the public concerning works in the collection or other requests in areas of expertise
Work with the Conservation team on collection care and display
Supervise and mentor the Curatorial Assistant and interns
Execute administrative responsibilities as needed

Qualifications

Seven to ten years of relevant work experience as a curator for established arts organizations, with a robust record of important exhibitions and publications
Demonstrable success conceptualizing, designing, and implementing curatorial strategies, as well as an understanding of collection stewardship
Knowledge of contemporary art in general and a minimum of one year of specialized experience
Knowledge of critical histories and theories of race, class, ability, and gender in the production, reception, and institutionalization of art
Strong communicator (verbal and written), collaborator, and strategic thinker who has the ability to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including staff, donors, Trustees, community members, and other partners
Ability to make connections across collections and build effective cross-departmental relationships
Understanding of, and demonstrated commitment to, diverse communities-locally, nationally, and internationally
High-level cultivation and grant development experience at arts organizations, with demonstrable success in generating support for acquisition, exhibition, and collection projects
Demonstrated commitment to DEIA in the field

Preferred skills

MA or PhD in relevant field

Reports to: Director of Curatorial Affairs

Position type: Full-time

Salary: $126,072

Union status: Nonunion

FLSA status: Exempt

Schedule: 35 hours per week, Monday-Friday, 9 am-5 pm

If you have questions about our online application system, get in touch with us at job.applicationquestions@brooklynmuseum.org.

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