Job Description

Job Description

Job Description

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) seeks an accomplished and visionary Curator to join its team as the Evelyn and Will Kaplan Curator of Twentieth Century Art and the John Rhoden Collection. The position offers the chance to deepen engagement with 20th-century American art and highlight the important legacy of African American sculptor John Rhoden through scholarly research, dynamic programming, and innovative interpretation.

ABOUT PAFA

Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) is America's first school and museum of fine arts. Located in the center city of Philadelphia, PAFA is intimate in scale with a strong sense of community. PAFA offers several non-degree and certificates in studio art and art appreciation programs. PAFA's museum has an outstanding collection of American art, and the museum actively collects and exhibits contemporary art, including work in new media. Additionally, PAFA is home to the Brodsky Center, a print and papermaking center focused on the creation of innovative editions by contemporary artists.

PAFA is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to an environment that welcomes and encourages recruiting and retaining qualified candidates from diverse groups. PAFA provides equal opportunity to applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, or status as a veteran.

POSITION: Evelyn and Will Kaplan Curator of Twentieth Century Art and the John Rhoden Collection

Reporting to the Edna S. Tuttleman Director of the Museum, the Evelyn and Will Kaplan Curator of Twentieth Century Art and the John Rhoden Collection will be a key member of PAFA's curatorial team. Working closely with the Museum Director and curatorial colleagues, the Curator will conduct research, enrich the permanent collection, plan collection installations, organize exhibition projects, develop interpretive materials, participate in community outreach and communications, and cultivate and steward relationships with collectors and donors to enhance PAFA's reputation as a leader in American art and advance PAFA's mission.

The Curator's area of focus and expertise will be 20th century art from post WWI through 2000. Main responsibilities include:

Collections:

• Collaborate with the museum director and curatorial colleagues to establish collection priorities to expand PAFA's reputation as a leader in American art.
• Maintain ongoing research of PAFA's collection and develop scholarly and interpretative materials.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with collectors, artists, gallerists, artists' estates, and PAFA's board and museum committee, to actively solicit their help to enhance the collection by acquiring gifts and purchases of artwork.
• Research artworks recommended for acquisition and present recommendations to PAFA's museum committee.
• Work collaboratively with PAFA's curators of historic and contemporary art, especially in periods of overlap-1900-1920 and 1970-2000-to contribute to the programmatic vision for PAFA's collections.
• Conduct original research about the life and work of the artist John Rhoden (1918-2001) and act as the primary spokesperson for the John Rhoden Collection at PAFA.
• Working closely with PAFA's registrar and archivist, act as the primary liaison for the distribution by gift from PAFA of John Rhoden's artwork to museums and cultural organizations throughout the United States.
• Develop, plan, and implement collection installations and gallery rotations.
• Contribute to collection publications and online collection resources.
• Develop and present public lectures, gallery talks and tours focusing on PAFA's collection.
• Serve as an integral resource to internal and external constituencies on matters of scholarship related to 20th century American art.

Exhibitions:

• Initiate, develop, and implement exhibitions of 20th century American art.
• Present exhibitions of 20th century American art to PAFA's museum committee and staff.
• Collaborate with PAFA colleagues to coordinate all exhibition logistics including registrar, development, marketing, and community education and engagement departments.
• Manage and write scholarly publications in conjunction with exhibitions.
• Develop and present public lectures, gallery talks and tours in support of exhibitions.
• Establish partnerships with colleagues and external organizations to promote exhibition opportunities.

General:

• Champion PAFA's strategic initiatives and vision, providing leadership that strengthens the organization and supports a positive workplace culture.
• Act as an ambassador for PAFA and represent the museum regionally and nationally.
• Work closely with the museum director and development staff to identify funding opportunities, cultivate individual prospects, and write grant applications to secure funding in support of 20th century American art exhibitions and programming.
• Collaborate with community education and engagement staff in the creation of program content, and with marketing and communications staff to expand audiences and support for PAFA's collection, exhibitions and programs.
• Cultivate relationships with scholars, critics, community groups, and other relevant audiences to encourage interest in PAFA, its mission, collection, exhibitions, and programs.
• Participate in regional and national professional communities and organizations to enhance the scholarly understanding of PAFA, its mission, collections, exhibitions, and programs.
• Perform special projects and other related duties as required and directed.
• Supervise and mentor interns as required.

REQUIREMENTS

• M.A. required, Ph.D. preferred in Art History or a related field (American Studies, Anthropology, History, Museum Studies, etc.)
• Five to seven years of museum, gallery, or related professional experience
• Broad knowledge of art history with emphasis on 20th century post WWI to 2000 expertise
• Proven ability to conceive and execute exhibitions and publications
• Exemplary research and writing skills
• Ability to communicate effectively and to establish and maintain positive working relationships with a broad constituency of individuals
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to execute multiple projects and responsibilities simultaneously in a dynamic, collaborative environment
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion
• Working knowledge of Microsoft 365 Copilot and museum CMS software such as Axiell
• Some professional travel, evenings and weekends required

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts accepts digital applications only. A complete application should include the following:

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter

When submitting your application online, please save your documents as Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) or PDF (.pdf) files. To help us process your applications as efficiently as possible, please save your files with the following filename format:

• LastName_FirstName_Resume/CV
• LastName_FirstName_CoverLetter

*Due to the amount of potential applicants, we do not respond to voice calls or messages about the status of your application. Based on the criteria for the position, the most qualified candidates will be contacted directly. Thank you for your interest in PAFA.

Job Tags

Similar Jobs