Bradford and Christine Mishler Associate Curator of American Art
Location: San Marino
Time Type: Full time
Posted on: Posted 2 Days Ago
Job Requisition ID: R0001081
About Us
At The Huntington, we believe that having a team of diverse backgrounds and voices working together will enable us to support and promote the appreciation of the humanities, the arts, and botanical science. The Huntington is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, disability, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal law.
The Huntington
Founded in 1919, The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens is a collections-based research and educational institution open to the public, housing world-class library, art, and botanical collections. Its mission is to support research and promote education in the arts, humanities, and botanical science and to display and interpret its extraordinary resources for diverse audiences.
The Culture
Here we are committed to the highest of standards in all that we do – from preserving and protecting the collections, to exhibitions, educational and scholarly programming, visitor and reader services, and beyond. Achieving excellence across these pursuits requires a diversity of perspectives, expertise, experience, and methodologies. We are better together. We believe an explicit commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion directly impacts and improves staff and audience engagement and experience.
Job Description
About the Role
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens seeks a highly motivated, creative, and dynamic Bradford and Christine Mishler Associate Curator of American Art. Reporting to the Virginia Steele Scott Chief Curator of American Art, the Mishler curator will be an integral part of the curatorial team responsible for the collection of American art at The Huntington, its growth, display, interpretation, publication, and programming. Consisting of objects in all media spanning the colonial era to the 21st century, the American art collection at The Huntington has grown exponentially in recent years, now displayed in 31 galleries of dedicated permanent collection exhibition space.
The Huntington seeks a curator who will bring innovative approaches to the interpretation of American art for our diverse audiences. The curator will develop programs and propose acquisitions, engage in exhibition and research projects, foster public engagement, and help build a diverse and inclusive collection. Working from The Huntington’s outstanding collection strengths in American painting and sculpture, the candidate should be capable of growing previously underrepresented areas of our collection, especially works by artists of color, and helping shift to a more hemispheric context by highlighting global exchange between the Americas, Asia, and Europe. Candidates with experience in Asian American, African American, or Latinx art (or other specialization underrepresented in American museums) are encouraged to apply. In addition to American art, the curator will be an advocate for multidisciplinary scholarship and think creatively in order to create synergies between the Art Museum, Library, Research Division, and Botanical Gardens, including our renowned collections of British, French, and Asian art. We seek someone with a proven record of building relationships across all levels of an organization and fitting well within an institutional culture that values collegiality, trust, and transparency.
Essential Functions
* Pursues scholarly research to support acquisitions, exhibitions, publications, and gallery installations, particularly in the areas of American painting and sculpture.
* In consultation with the Chief Curator and Director of the Art Museum, researches and develops potential acquisitions and advises on a long-term acquisitions strategy that relates to the mission and larger strategic initiatives of the institution; secures important loans of American art when appropriate.
* Works collaboratively with the curatorial team on innovative installations of American art in the permanent galleries, with periodic reassessment and reinstallation, particularly as the collection grows.
* Proposes and organizes temporary exhibitions of significance, both traveling exhibitions and rotations within the permanent collection.
* Gives public presentations related to the collection, including to gallery educators and the general public, and as appropriate to Trustees, Board of Governors Art Committee, Art Collectors Council, and other Huntington supporters.
* Provides research and reference assistance related to the collection for scholars and the public.
* Works closely with staff across the Huntington, including colleagues in the Art Division and Conservation in particular, and with the Education, IT, and Research departments on programs related to the American collection and didactic materials.
* Works with the Advancement department to identify, nurture, and steward potential donors and/or art collections, and is a keen advocate for the Huntington’s American art collection within the Los Angeles donor community, the region, and beyond.
* Represents The Huntington and contributes to appropriate professional organizations at the local, regional, national and/or international levels.
* Supervises curatorial fellows and interns as appropriate.
Qualifications
Required
* A Ph.D. or M.A. in art history, with a specialization in American art, is strongly preferred.
* A record of scholarly research, exhibitions and/or collections-related experience.
* Proficiency in a relevant foreign language preferred.
* Flexible, collaborative approach.
* Commitment to welcoming diverse audiences.
* Excellent organizational, analytical, and oral and written communication skills.
* Ability to prioritize competing tasks effectively in a busy and engaging research setting.
* Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with a diverse group of colleagues, researchers, donors, and other individuals and communities.
Experience
* A minimum of 5 years museum or related experience.
Working Conditions
* Normal office environment.
* Some weekend or evening work is required.
* Some travel, locally, nationally, and internationally is required.
Compensation & Benefits
We provide competitive compensation, generous benefits and perks for all eligible employees including:
* Pay Range: $77,000.00-$87,000.00. Commensurate on experience.
* Medical, Dental, Vision
* 403(b) retirement plan and matching retirement plan with an outstanding employer match
* Hybrid remote work schedule available for applicable positions
* Considerable paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and holidays
* Discounts for staff in The Huntington Store and restaurants
* Free admission to various museums and cultural institutions
* Free passes each month to welcome family and friends to visit the grounds
The Application Process
Please submit a cover letter, writing sample and CV/resume as a single PDF attachment.
You will have the opportunity to submit additional documents on the “My Experience” section of the application.
EEO IS THE LAW
EEO IS THE LAW - SPANISH
The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens is a cultural and educational institution of global significance. Building on Henry E. Huntington’s renowned collections, the Huntington today supports research and promotes education in the arts, humanities, and botanical sciences through the growth and preservation of its collections, through the development of a community of scholars, school programs and partnerships, and through display and interpretation of its extraordinary resources to the public.
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