Curator of African Art

Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University

About: Emory University is a leading research university that fosters excellence and attracts world-class talent to innovate today and prepare leaders for the future. We welcome candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of our academic community.

The Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University seeks an experienced professional and an accomplished scholar to serve as curator for its collections of African Art. The collection serves as a strong resource for thinking about the history of African art history and showing the dynamism of the continent, as well as questions of authenticity, provenance, representation, and display.

Description: The Curator of African Art reports to the Museum Director, serves on a team of highly skilled collections, education, and administrative staff, and provides leadership for cross-departmental collaboration within the museum, between Emory’s campuses, and across institutions in Atlanta. The Curator works in support of the Museum’s mission to provide innovative public programming, and critical engagement with objects, their makers, and the cultures they represent. They will develop and present exhibitions, make acquisitions, steward donors, research, document and publish the collections, develop didactic materials and programming, work with faculty and students, and establish and maintain strong community and institutional relationships across campus, in Atlanta, and throughout the South. This could also include cultivating museum relationships nationally and internationally. In addition, the Curator will have the opportunity to teach university courses centered on the collections, in collaboration with faculty.

Requirements:

hold a graduate degree (Ph.D. preferred) in African or Africana Studies, art history, anthropology, archaeology, or a related discipline
have a record of research focused one or more of the ancient or contemporary cultures of the African continent and/or the African Diaspora
have at least two years of curatorial experience, including a record of successful exhibition projects and publications
have experience collaborating on multidisciplinary projects in a university setting
demonstrate a vision for engaging with diverse communities at Emory and across Atlanta

Curators at the MCCM are experts in their fields of study. Drawing upon the knowledge of their fields and good museum practice, they serve as communicators of ideas, facilitators of discussion, instructors for all levels, and advocates for the role of museums in society today.

Responsibilities:

Provide knowledge for shaping, caring for, and activating the collections for which they are responsible
Develop innovative, dynamic and collaborative curation strategies for the permanent collections
Work closely with African and African-descended communities to build and share knowledge about the collections, create opportunities for greater inclusivity, access, and representation, and identify areas of community interest, value, and involvement
Develop projects for monitoring, treating, and documenting items in the collections in close working partnership with the conservation department and African and African-descended communities
Identify and coordinate research projects that will create new knowledge about the objects in their collections
Identify and research new objects for acquisition
Research the collecting and provenance histories of individual objects in concert with the work of the museum’s provenance researcher
Participate in the development of exhibition concepts, both within their areas of specialty and in support of others
Develop exhibitions that support the overall mission of the museum and its areas of thematic interest, including engaging historic as well as contemporary African and African Diaspora art
Collaborate with Emory faculty, staff, and students, as well as other community groups in Atlanta, in the development of exhibitions and other programming
Develop strategies for engaging new and existing audiences, including contemporary artists and activists
Research, write, and publish exhibition catalogues, and within the Curator’s specialist field
Collaborate in the development of public programs
Deliver and organize talks, lectures, symposia, workshops, and panel discussions
Work in support of the museum’s artist residency program, building relationships with contemporary artists, thinkers and social justice advocates
Teach and support teaching and research at Emory’s Atlanta and Oxford campuses
Work with faculty in Art History, African American Studies, and the Institute for African Studies, along with other departments, to develop strategies for using collections in teaching and to facilitate research and collections-based projects (including exhibitions)
Supervise students, interns, and volunteers to provide them with experience in museum practices, and support their studies or professional interests
Serve on Museum-Faculty Advisory Boards and Search Committees
Act as an advocate for the museum’s role in society
Lead initiatives that expand participation in the museum’s programs
Participate in national and international forums both within the museum field and in their respective field of research
Advocate, practice, and speak for ethical collecting
Advocate for the participatory museum
Support the museum’s artist residency program by developing relationships with contemporary artists, activists, and advocates

Qualifications:

A graduate degree (PhD preferred) in African or Africana Studies, art history, anthropology, archaeology or a related discipline. Exceptional candidates with MA degrees or PhD in progress will also be considered
A recognized expert in one or more of the ancient or contemporary cultures of the African continent and/or the African Diaspora
A strong publication and exhibition record, including experience researching and writing exhibition catalogues
At least three years' of curatorial experience
Candidates who have studied and demonstrate language proficiency in African and/or African Diasporic languages as well as European languages will be prioritized
Experience building affiliate groups (including but not limited to donors and community advisory groups) and working with university faculty, staff, and student affinity groups
An accomplished communicator, able to speak on behalf of the museum to the public, students, the media, faculty peers and donors
Experience with mentorship and teaching from objects in classroom settings and museums
Demonstrated experience engaging and collaborating with African and African-descended communities as well as other diverse and underrepresented communities. A passionate advocate for social change committed to building strategies for community outreach

The African Art Collection
The museum’s collection of African art contains approximately 1,800 objects and consists of examples of so-called historical or traditional arts, many of which may date to the twentieth century. The collection began in 1994 with the acquisition of more than 800 works of art from art collector William S. Arnett. While objects from Arnett predominantly consist of masks, headpieces, and carved figures from West and Central Africa, the collection has since grown considerably through gifts and key acquisitions. Today, the collection encompasses objects from West and Central Africa as well as East and Southern Africa, including textiles, ceramics, masks, sculptures, and jewelry, which foreground the continent's various rich cultures and highlight motifs of individual and communal identity, power and leadership, religion and entertainment, continuity and change, among other pertinent themes.

How to Apply: http://staff-emory.icims.com/jobs/114621/job

Location: Atlanta, GA

Salary: $61,900 – $84,500

Contact Name: Lisa Fields

Contact Email: lisa.fields@emory.edu

Company/Organization Website: https://carlos.emory.edu/

Application Deadline: February 29, 2024