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Katz Curator

Employer
Colby College
Location
Maine, United States
Salary
Salary Not Specified
Date posted
Sep 28, 2021

Job Details

Job Description
Department:
Museum Curatorial
Pay Rate Type:
Salary
Employee Type:
Job Summary:Colby College Museum of Art
Full-Time, Exempt, Salaried, Administrative Staff Appointment

The Colby College Museum of Art currently holds more than 900 artworks by the artist Alex Katz, along with associated archival materials that make up the Alex Katz Collection. In addition, the museum has a related collection of approximately 500 artworks—ranging from American and European modernism, to folk art and contemporary art—acquired through gifts from the Alex Katz Foundation, which was established in 2004 by the artist.

Reporting to the Head Curator and working with the curatorial team and others associated with the Colby Museum and its Lunder Institute for American Art, the Katz Curator envisions and implements the research, presentation, interpretation, publication, and collection-care initiatives for the Alex Katz Collection and the Katz Foundation Collection at the Colby Museum. In this capacity, they are a key contributor to the museum’s exhibition and publications as a whole. They also work dynamically, consistently, and responsively with the artist, his representatives, and other stakeholders to further the study and knowledge of Katz’s work and the diverse circle of historical and contemporary artists represented in the Katz Foundation holdings.

The Katz Curator realizes temporary exhibitions and related programming, as well as permanent-collection installations in the Paul J. Schupf Wing for the Works of Alex Katz. In addition, they work collaboratively with the curatorial team to selectively present and contextualize Katz and Katz Foundation works in other galleries of the museum. The Katz Curator facilitates curricular and co-curricular use of the collections within their purview. They also conduct research dedicated to identifying new narratives in the field of American and contemporary art, advancing equity and diversity within the museum and the field, while facilitating relevant work by researchers and fellows at the Lunder Institute.

The Katz Curator contributes to donor cultivation, stewardship and fundraising, sustaining strong relationships with the museum’s Board of Governors and campus and local communities, including peer institutions that hold Katz works and Katz Foundation gifts. They also supervise and mentor curatorial interns and advise them on career pathways in the arts.

Prioritizing partnership, the curator is a knowledgeable, innovative, and skilled collaborator and project leader who embraces and actively participates in the educational mission of the museum and who cultivates a strong network of artists, museum colleagues, collectors, donor prospects, and other stakeholders aligned with the museum’s initiatives and the goals of the Katz collections at Colby.

THE MUSEUM AND ITS MISSION

Located in Waterville, Maine, the Colby Museum opens access to art and artists for the Colby community, for Maine residents and visitors, and for audiences beyond, creating a forum for experimentation, research, dialogue, and connection. We grow and use our stellar collection in ways that activate the power of art to expand imagination and forge new connections, fostering a more open, creative, and compassionate society. We teach to inspire and open possibilities, so that students at Colby and other visitors can become more curious, nimble, and able to contribute within a changing world, in keeping with Colby’s dynamic liberal arts mission. We incubate art scholarship and practice in ways that explore and expand how the idea of America is understood and how art is made, interpreted, and shared. We do so by supporting new research, providing mentorship, and convening a diversity of people and perspectives. The Lunder Institute for American Art and our exhibitions, programs, and publications facilitate field-wide impact. We are committed to our audiences, including the Colby College community, residents of Waterville and the broader Maine region, national and international visitors, and the artists, scholars, and partners with whom we collaborate.

A COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND INCLUSION

Working to advance equity and inclusion in the field of American art—and, by doing so, in the wider world—is core to our mission. We feel the urgency of national and campus conversations on inequality and are keenly aware of the unique responsibility that we have as an academic art museum—as a place where we can listen, ask questions, and challenge assumptions—to engage in this dialogue, and to act. We affirm the Colby Museum’s commitment to multidisciplinary teaching and learning and our potential for deep engagement with students will be leveraged in this effort toward fighting racialized violence, injustice, and inequality. Colby College is committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment where every member of the community feels a sense of respect and belonging.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Organize and manage temporary, traveling, and permanent-collection exhibitions related to the Alex Katz Collection and Katz Foundation Collection
  • Arrange rotating permanent collection installations and associated interpretive content in the Paul J. Schupf Wing for the Works of Alex Katz, and contribute collaboratively to permanent-collection displays and interpretive content in other areas of the museum where the Katz Collection and Katz Foundation also regularly appears
  • Work closely with Alex Katz, his studio, and Katz Foundation staff and representatives to advance scholarship and opportunities related to the work of Alex Katz and the artists represented in the Katz Foundation Collection
  • Contribute to the development and assessment of the Colby Museum’s collection, including identifying and leading new acquisitions related to the position’s areas of focus
  • Provide oversight, management, and research of the Alex Katz Collection and Archive
  • In collaboration with curatorial colleagues, advance the museum’s strategic plan in relevant areas related to collections and exhibitions
  • Serve as venue curator for select traveling exhibitions that are appropriate to the Katz Curator’s areas of focus
  • Identify and secure institutional partnerships for exhibitions
  • Facilitate academic engagement with the collection and exhibitions by leading or participating in museum class visits assigned by academic engagement staff; assist, as needed, with related collections access
  • Contribute to/facilitate the work of learning and engagement colleagues, generating content and providing content feedback as needed, and participate in and attend special events at the museum, on campus, and in the community
  • Supervise and mentor interns and research assistants
  • Author scholarly publications and other forms of writing (essays, exhibition texts, labels, digitally shared content) related to Katz Collection and Katz Foundation Collection
  • Steward the Katz Collection and Katz Foundation Collection and contribute to their growth and diversification in keeping with the museum’s collecting criteria
  • Pursue, write, and manage grants and funding requests in collaboration with the Director of Museum Development and the College’s Director of Grants and Sponsored Programs
  • Cultivate strong relationships with donors, lenders, alumni, the museum’s Board of Governors, and key stakeholders across the campus and in the Waterville community
  • Develop and sustain a network of relationships—peers, mentors, and mentees—in the museum field; remain knowledgeable of trends in this field and in the arts and culture sector generally
  • Represent the Colby Museum through speaking engagements related to curatorial projects and duties
  • Other duties as assigned
QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Bachelor’s degree or the equivalent in education and experience; degree in art or related humanities field and advanced degree preferred
  • Minimum three years of curatorial experience, including collections and acquisitions, development, interpretation and public programs, and project management; additional years of experience preferred
  • Demonstrated research interests in American and/or modern and contemporary art with additional broad subject knowledge across art history preferred; interest in working with a contemporary artist and his studio
  • Ability to assess and act on opportunities to increase the narrative complexity and diversity of the museum collection and programs and advance equity in our daily practices and work culture; unwavering commitment to fostering an antiracist, equitable work environment supportive of people from different cultures, backgrounds, and life paths
  • Appreciation for the role of art museums in a liberal arts education; demonstrated track record of collaboration and commitment to teaching and learning across disciplines; interest in engaging a broad and diverse audience that includes undergraduate students as well as local community members, museum visitors, scholars, curators, and artists
  • Exceptional interpersonal and relationship skills, and the ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
  • Demonstrated capacity for creative, and critical project development and overall problem-solving
  • Excellent organizational skills, time management, and attention to detail
  • Demonstrated initiative and strong, self-motivated work ethic; flexibility; and proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively as a member of a diverse community
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite and Google applications; familiarity with digital cloud collaboration platforms preferred
  • Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed
KEY RELATIONSHIPS:

This position will work closely with the Carolyn Muzzy director, head curator, deputy director for planning and operations, director of administration and external affairs, Lunder Institute director and staff, assistant curator of modern and contemporary art, Lunder curator of works on paper and Whistler studies, Lunder curator of American art, Anne Lunder Leland curatorial fellow, education and engagement colleagues, collections management and registrarial staff including art installers, the director of museum development and the development officer, as well as with other museum staff members and with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and Lunder Institute guests and fellows. In addition, the Katz Curator communicates with and works regularly with Alex Katz, Katz studio staff, and members of the Alex Katz Foundation.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

General open office and campus environment. Position involves sitting, although frequent movement is necessary. Occasional lifting is required. Computer usage involving repetitive hand/wrist motion is also necessary. Some night and weekend work required based on museum events.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Successful and satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check).

TO APPLY:

Interested candidates should apply electronically by clicking the "Apply" button on the Colby Careers website. Please submit a letter of interest including salary requirements, resume, and the contact information of three professional references. A review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

Company

Colby College

Founded in 1813, Colby College is the 12th oldest liberal arts college in the United States.

Distinctive in its offerings, Colby provides an intimate, undergraduate-focused learning environment with a breadth of programs presenting students and faculty with unparalleled opportunities. A vibrant and fully integrated academic, residential, and cocurricular experience is sustained by a diverse and supportive community. Located in Waterville, Maine, Colby is a global institution with students representing nearly every U.S. state and approximately 70 countries.

Colby’s model provides the scale and impact of larger universities coupled with intensive learning in a community committed to scholarship and discovery, multidisciplinary approaches to integrated learning, study in the liberal arts, and leading-edge programs addressing the world’s most complex challenges. Its network of partnerships with prestigious cultural, research, medical, and business institutions extends educational and scholarly collaborations, providing students with unmatched experiences leading to postgraduate success.

The College’s wide variety of programs and labs provides students and the community access to unique experiences: the Colby College Museum of Art, the finest college art museum in the country, and the Lunder Institute for American Art have made the College a nationally and internationally recognized center for art scholarship; DavisConnects prepares students for lifelong success by combining a forward-thinking liberal arts education with extensive internship, research, and global opportunities for all students regardless of their personal networks and financial circumstances; and the 350,000-square-foot Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center, is the most advanced and comprehensive NCAA D-III facility in the country. In fall 2021, Colby opened the Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence, the first such institute at a liberal arts college. Colby’s new Island Campus, consisting of Allen and Benner islands, gives Colby a significant presence on the coast of Maine for a wide range of academic programs and activities and undisturbed environments ideal for conducting interdisciplinary experiences.

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