Haskell Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art

The Princeton University Art Museum welcomes applications for the next Haskell Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. The Curator will shape the care, display, interpretation, and growth of the Museum's collections of global modern and contemporary art. As the Museum prepares to open a dramatically reconceived new building in spring 2025, the Curator will lead modern and contemporary collections galleries, exhibitions, publications, and acquisitions at a time of unprecedented growth.  

With origins in the 18th century, the Museum's collections of over 115,000 objects include broad representation of modern and contemporary art. Early holdings in postwar art were shaped largely by gifts, often from artists themselves. Since the 1990s, and especially since the appointment in 2007 of the Museum's first dedicated curator of modern and contemporary art, acquisition initiatives, important gifts, and an international artist-in-residence program have introduced art by African and African diasporic, Asian, Asian American, Indigenous North American, Latin American, Latinx, and Middle Eastern artists. In addition to recent acquisitions of works by Alison Saar, Elias Sime, Pat Steir, and Marie Watt, among many others, the Museum leads the process of commissioning public art on campus.

With responsibility for the Museum's collections and activities in postwar art with a particular focus on global contemporary art, the Curator will also collaborate with curators from a range of collections areas to support art after 1913. Regularly teaching undergraduates and participating in guest teaching is expected, in addition to broader efforts to engage with the collections among faculty, students, and other communities. Substantial purchase endowments allow the Curator to build the collections intentionally. As a member of the University's Campus Art Steering Committee, the Curator will lead curatorial planning for art commissions for the campus. Working within a team environment, they will partner with conservators and educators, supervise research assistants, and mentor interns and students, with meaningful support for research travel. The Curator will be attuned to dynamic changes in the museum field, will embrace the possibilities of a public-facing campus-based museum, and will communicate effectively with scholarly and broad audiences. 

An advanced degree in art history or a related field is required; a PhD is preferred, and meaningful experience organizing significant exhibitions and a record of scholarly publications are required. Knowledge of commissioning works of art, a track record of collaborating with living artists, and a network of gallerists and collectors are required. Experience making acquisitions aligned with a collecting strategy and working within a complex organizational structure are critical. Familiarity with donor engagement, collections management, and demonstrated teaching capability are necessary. The salary range for a full curator is $100,000-$130,000.

The work location for this position is in-person on campus at Princeton University. To learn more, please visit https://artmuseum.princeton.edu.

Interested candidates should first use this link to apply: https://artsconsulting.com/opensearches/princeton-university-art-museum-haskell-curator-of-modern-and-contemporary-art/

Those who have already applied through ACG must also complete the Princeton University application below. 

This position is subject to the University's background check policy.