Associate Curator for the African Diaspora at Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
Job Title: Associate Curator
Job Status: Full-time
Location: Hartford, CT
Salary: $60,000 – $70,000
Description
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Reporting to the Director of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, and in close collaboration with The Amistad Center’s Program Manager and Executive Director, The Amistad Center for Art & Culture Associate Curator for the African Diaspora will manage and develop the collections of African American art and the art and artifacts of the African diaspora at the Wadsworth Atheneum and the Amistad Center for Art & Culture. S/he oversees the installation of galleries for the combined display of the permanent collections of both these institutions that highlight the art, history, and culture of the African diaspora. S/he proposes and executes temporary exhibitions as well as serving as in-house curator for traveling exhibitions from other institutions. The Associate Curator will also direct the museum-wide interpretation of historic representations of people of African descent and develop methods to foreground narratives that address past experiences and promote new and constructive histories. S/he will be responsible for the strategic management of The Amistad Center’s collection and works to promote and develop the collections and exhibition programs at both institutions. The Associate Curator will also develop partnerships with local, regional, national, and international institutions to promote the understanding and appreciation of Black history and culture, and elevate The Amistad Center’s stature within the broader museum community.
ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Conceive and implement installations and exhibitions that promote knowledge of Black art, history, and culture through the collections of the Wadsworth Atheneum and Amistad Center.
- Research and produce wall labels, wall texts, collection and exhibition brochures, and other interpretive materials.
- Provide strategic management of The Amistad Center’s collection, oversee its collection maintenance and digitalization, and manage the scholarly cataloguing of Amistad Center objects and related objects in the permanent collection of the Wadsworth Atheneum.
- Staff the Curatorial Committee of The Amistad Center and support its activities and programs.
- Initiate and execute proposals for acquisitions through gift and purchase at both institutions.
- Facilitate access to collections for curators, students, and scholars.
- Participate in public programs, and host guests and community groups on visits to both institutions.
- Promote the Wadsworth Atheneum and The Amistad Center and their collections to local, national, and international communities through talks, lectures, public programs, and similar activities.
- Other projects and travel as requested.
Requirements
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Education and Experience:
An advanced degree in African American studies, Black studies, art history, or a related subject and at least five years of museum experience, or a combination of equivalent professional and scholarly experience; proven commitment to the study and advancement of Black histories.
Skills and Abilities:
- Ability to work independently, strategically establish priorities, and maintain scheduled activities.
- Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills.
- An effective collaborator within the museum and in the larger community.
- Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines among conflicting priorities
WORKING CONDITIONS
Physical Demands
The physical requirements and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an objects conservator to successfully perform the essential functions of the job or may be encountered while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with a disability to perform the essential functions to the extent the museum may do so without undue hardship. The term “qualified individual with a disability” means an individual who with or without reasonable accommodation can perform the essential functions of the position.
This job operates in a laboratory/workshop, storage areas and museum gallery setting within a building(s) that have both modern and historic architectural elements. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to follow and give oral and written instructions; stand, walk, and/or sit for extended periods of time; use hands to finger, handle or feel, reach with hands and arm, and reach above shoulder height. The employee is regularly required to climb or balance, squat, kneel, and crouch. The employee is occasionally required to lift, drag and/or move up to 40 pounds unassisted. The employee is required to visually or otherwise identify, observe and assess. Special vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Employee is required to move about their work area, between buildings and the museum grounds, ascend and descend stairs. While performing the duties of this job the employee may be subject to outdoor weather conditions and temperatures. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate and general does not require the use of hearing protection equipment.
DISCLAIMER
The preceding job description indicates the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this classification. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to do this job. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time nor does it proscribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. This job description is subject to change at any time.
$60,000 – $70,000 annual salary
ABOUT THE AMISTAD CENTER FOR ART & CULTURE
The Amistad Center is a dynamic not-for-profit cultural institution that cares for and provides public access to its collection of more than 7,000 works of art, photography, historical artifacts, memorabilia and rare books documenting the African American experience. The Amistad Center is located in the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art and as a result of a unique institutional partnership, collaborates with the Wadsworth on various aspects of its operations and programs.
ABOUT THE WADSWORTH ATHENEUM MUSEUM OF ART
Founded in 1842, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art is the oldest continuously-operating public art museum in the United States and home to a collection of nearly 50,000 works of art, spanning 5,000 years and encompassing the art of Asia, North America, South America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. It has been at the forefront of collecting works by artists such as Caravaggio, Frederic Edwin Church, Joseph Cornell, Salvador Dalí, Piet Mondrian, and Joan Miró. Today, visitors to the museum find captivating and innovative installations mining the iconic holdings and offering new stories that illustrate the breadth and quality of the collection.