Description
The University of Missouri Museum of Art & Archaeology seeks an exceptional curator to interpret and develop its important collection of European and American art and to help manage its permanent and temporary exhibitions. The Museum is completing reinstallation of its galleries and collections following its move to a new location in the historic Ellis Library building at the heart of the Mizzou campus, and is particularly interested in applicants eager to establish a strong curatorial voice through exhibitions and scholarship related to its collections and through exploring unique contemporary art exhibition opportunities. An AAM-accredited institution, the Museum is an important resource for university students and faculty, but also serves the residents of the city of Columbia and surrounding communities.
Duties
Reporting to the Museum director and working closely with the associate curator of ancient art, the associate curator of European and American art has broad responsibilities for interpreting, developing, and managing the Museum’s collections and exhibitions, including:
- Managing rotating permanent collection displays and temporary exhibitions in dedicated galleries
- Conducting substantive research emphasizing the collections, or within their area of specialty
- Identifying and recommending objects for acquisition
- Assisting with training of docents in specific content areas and Museum practices
- Collaborating with the associate curator of ancient art, Museum educator, other Museum staff, and university faculty to engage students in curatorial and research projects and to plan a broad range of public programs
- Assisting the Museum director and assistant director with public relations and fundraising activities, including contributing to grant applications or serving as PI on grants as appropriate
- Joining the associate curator of ancient art and director as co-editors of the Museum’s annual peer-reviewed journal Muse
- Acting as a liaison with artists, faculty, or guest curators who develop innovative contemporary art exhibitions for the Museum’s temporary gallery spaces and possibly other spaces on or off campus
- Depending on credentials, the successful candidate will potentially hold an affiliate faculty position with the School of Visual Studies or other department related to his/her discipline, and in that capacity may also be invited to sit on graduate and doctoral committees
Minimum Qualifications
- A bachelor’s degree in art history, visual studies, or an immediately-related field
- At least three years of full-time curatorial experience
- Demonstrated experience with exhibition development, design, and installation processes
Preferred Qualifications
- MA or PhD in art history, visual studies, or an immediately-related field is strongly preferred
- A collateral area of expertise or interest in African, Asian, or Pre-Columbian art
- Previous experience in a university setting as curator or faculty member
- Experience working with artists or guest curators in exhibition development
- Exceptional written and oral communications skills, with a record of publication and public speaking
- Object-based teaching experience
- Knowledge and/or experience relating to the conservation of works of art and provenance research
- An expectation to support the university’s inclusion, diversity, and equity policies
- Willingness to liaise with stakeholder departments and faculty, in addition to cultivating new relationships within the university and the community
Application Materials
For consideration, please provide a cover letter explaining your research interests, primary and any secondary areas of expertise or knowledge, credentials, museum experience, and your commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equity, a complete CV, contact information for three references, and at least three writing samples, through the University of Missouri employment website at https://hr.missouri.edu/job-openings (staff positions, job no. 42782). Questions about the job description or the application process can be sent to eckd@missouri.edu. The search committee will begin reviewing applications after August 1, 2022. Please submit your materials by October 1, 2022.
Other Job Information
Minimum salary: $47,500
This position requires the willingness to work occasional evening and weekend hours, with some travel required, and the ability to lift and carry objects weighing up to 25 pounds.
Employer Information
Founded in 1839, the University of Missouri is the oldest public university west of the Mississippi River. MU provides all the benefits of two universities in one: It is a major land-grant institution with a statewide mission of service to citizens, as well as Missouri’s largest and only R1 public research university. Considered one of the nation’s top-tier institutions, Mizzou is one of only 35 public universities, and the only public institution in Missouri, to be selected for membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities.
The Museum of Art and Archaeology contains more than 16,000 objects from diverse aesthetic and cultural origins encompassing over 6,000 years of human history on six continents. The collection of Greek, Roman, and Near Eastern art works and artifacts is especially strong, and there are significant holdings from ancient Egypt and Byzantium. In addition, the Museum has important collections in European and American paintings, prints, drawings, decorative arts, and other media, from the fifteenth century to the present, including a Samuel H. Kress Study Collection of European paintings, a growing collection of American Regionalist works, and contemporary works from the 19th to 21st centuries. Asian, African, Pre-Columbian (Mesoamerican and South American), and Oceanic cultures are also well represented. The Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.
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