Curator of African Art
The Cleveland Museum of Art seeks a highly motivated individual to oversee the display, interpretation, and growth of the museum’s collection of African art.
The Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection of African art includes more than 450 works of historical art from Africa south of the Sahara. The core of this collection is comprised of a diverse selection of masks and figure sculptures from West and Central Africa donated to the museum in the 1960s and ‘70s by the late Cleveland collector, Katherine C. White. The past seventeen years represent a time of significant growth, including the addition of a distinguished ensemble of thirty-four Congolese sculptures that was acquired through a gift-purchase arrangement from the Brussels collectors René and Odette Delenne. During the past two years, several works by contemporary African artists have been added to the collection, initiating a dialogue between past and present.
The museum is seeking candidates who possess a broad familiarity with the history and current trends in the field of African art. Of particular interest will be candidates who are knowledgeable about and interested in historical and contemporary African art. The museum seeks candidates who are committed to actively and creatively participating in the exhibitions program and originating projects ranging from ambitious, international loan exhibitions, to focused projects illuminating an object or small group of objects in the collection. The successful candidate will also have a strong interest in object-based art history, issues of connoisseurship, and experience in the acquisition of works of art. Candidates should be skilled in building effective relationships across departments and invested in collaboration and teamwork. The position is part of the Department of the Art of Africa and the Americas, and reports to the Chair of the Department.
A Master’s Degree in Art History or related field is required; a Ph.D. is preferred. Candidates must have at least five years of relevant museum experience, including experience organizing exhibitions and publishing scholarly research. A full range of benefits accompanies the position.
Applications, including a cover letter that addresses the candidate’s interest in the position and the relevance of their experience to the museum’s collection, a curriculum vita, writing sample, and the names and contact information for three references should be submitted by June 15, 2019.
