Assistant Curator​/Associate Curator

Assistant Curator/Associate Curator, Menil Drawing Institute

Title

Assistant Curator/Associate Curator, Menil Drawing Institute

Department

Menil Drawing Institute, Curatorial Department

Reports to

Chief Curator, Menil Drawing Institute

Status

Full-time; exempt from overtime

Work location

Onsite

Salary range

Assistant Curator, Menil Drawing Institute: $60,000 – 65,000

Associate Curator, Menil Drawing Institute: $65,000 – 70,000

Along with the Chief Curator and Associate Curator, the Assistant/Associate Curator at the Menil Drawing Institute (MDI) is responsible for researching and interpreting the Menil’s collection of drawings and conceiving, assisting with, or executing permanent collection and loan exhibitions. The Assistant/Associate Curator is expected to contribute to building the collection and to supporting the Menil Collection's institutional priorities and mission. The Assistant/Associate Curator also oversees the MDI’s Janie

C. Lee Drawing Room (study room), serving as both a facilitator and an ambassador in making the Menil's collection of drawings known and accessible to students, scholars, artists, and the public. Close collaboration and good communication with the museum's many departments, including Curatorial, Conservation, Collection Management, Exhibition Design, Public Programs, Publishing, Communications, and Advancement, is essential.

Curate exhibitions of drawings accompanied by research publications when appropriate.

Conduct research on the permanent collection; build and maintain object files; and publish on drawing internally and externally as time permits.

Work with the Chief Curator and Associate Curator to propose, research, and present new acquisitions.

Collaborate on developing and organizing programs and other creative and scholarly events associated with MDI, including study days, symposia, and conferences.

Write and edit gallery guides and other materials and publications related to the drawings collection.

Contribute to academic outreach initiatives and cultivate relationships with local academic communities, as well as national and international scholars in the field.

Help promote and support the MDI fellowship program, especially pertaining to the fellows’ access to the drawing collection.

Follow established internal policies and procedures, manage, proctor, and promote group and individual appointments to the Janie

C. Lee Drawing Room. In advance, prepare object lists and advise visitors on identifying works in the collection relevant to their area of interest or study. Coordinate with the Art Preparator, MDI, to safely display artworks in the Drawing Room, and handle drawings as needed during appointments. With the Conservator of Works of Art on Paper, coordinate special viewings of drawings in the Paper Lab.

Document and track appointments and works viewed using the museum's collection management system (TMS).

Lead class sessions in the Drawing Room when requested by visiting professors.

Serve as a research resource for MDI fellows and interns and local, national, and international visiting scholars, answering queries about the drawing collection.

Coordinate all study room events and manage installations and displays in MDI back-of-house spaces, including the Seminar Room and Salon.

As needed, collaborate with the Collection Management Department on institution-wide collection access policies and procedures.

Conduct tours for visitors and patrons, prepare talks for member groups, etc.

PhD in art history or ABD.

Minimum 3-5 years of curatorial experience with demonstrated scholarship in the field.

Superior art historical research, writing, and editing skills.

Passion for the graphic arts.

Previous study room and art-handling experience.

Knowledge of standard museum collection management system, The Museum System (TMS) preferred.

Advanced knowledge and recent experience using Microsoft Suite:
Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, File Maker, and other standard office skills, procedures, and equipment.

Excellent organizational skills with keen attention to detail.

Adherence to deadlines and strong follow-through.

Flexibility in meeting…