Guest Curator Position:
The Galleries at the Herron School of Art and Design are seeking a guest curator to play a central role in helping to develop content for the exhibition, Complicated Stories: The Afterlives of Slavery (September 28, 2022-January 15, 2023). Working in tandem with the gallery's director and curator, Joseph Mella, the Guest Curator will further an established curatorial premise in place that links historical objects relating to enslaved peoples in America from the mid-to late 19th century from public and private collections to serve as a contextual device for framing the contemporary artistic response to a shared history that continues to resonate today. A comprehensive project narrative is available upon request.
Job Description & Requirements:
The work of a guest curator for the project involves helping identify contemporary artists that fall within the exhibition's premise--namely those artists that have explored the history of slavery in America as part of their practice. The work requires a Master’s degree in art history or related field and a minimum of five years museum or art world experience. The position requires a strong orientation toward collaborative work in a fast-paced, small team-oriented environment, and the ability to work both autonomously and collectively as needed. Superb writing and communication skills, ability to work effectively with artists and lenders, and the university and greater communities of Indianapolis. Knowledge and expertise of the historical record of slavery will be important as well. The successful Guest Curator will have connections within public and private collections and the experience to seek and secure loans of art from them, along with a strong background in exhibition development and execution. Additionally, the Curator will help develop written content for the exhibition that will take the form of short, expository essays, as well as one longer, ca. 3,000-word essay, that will be published as part of the companion catalogue.
Compensation:
The position is contractual, with a compensation of $10,000 to be paid in four increments over the course of the project, with final payment occurring following the exhibition's opening on September 28, 2022.
To Apply:
Please send a cover letter, CV, and any additional materials to lfklopp@iu.edu and specify “Guest Curator” in the subject line by the deadline of Friday, February 26th, 2021.
