Ronald Rose-Antoinette Appointed Max Stern Curator at the Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery

Ronald Rose-Antoinette has been appointed Max Stern Curator at the Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery at Concordia University.

A Concordia alumnus, Rose-Antoinette holds a BFA and MA in film studies, as well as a PhD in humanities from the university. He has worked and collaborated across Concordia for more than two decades, including alongside researchers and theorists Erin Manning and Ted Rutland.

In his new role, Rose-Antoinette will contribute to the gallery’s exhibitions, public programming and permanent collection. His responsibilities also include curating the SIGHTINGS exhibition series and overseeing aspects of the Gallery’s collection of more than 1,800 works, primarily by Canadian artists.

Speaking about the appointment, Rose-Antoinette described the role as a “homecoming,” noting Concordia’s long-standing influence on his curatorial and philosophical approach.

His curatorial interests focus on decolonial practices, cross-cultural dialogue and intersectional approaches, with particular attention to Black, Indigenous, feminist and queer perspectives, as well as experimental and pedagogical forms of exhibition-making.

Discussing the SIGHTINGS exhibition programme, Rose-Antoinette highlighted its potential as a space for experimentation and audience engagement, particularly through approaches that challenge the conventions of the “white cube” gallery model.

He also identified expanding the visibility of Indigenous artists and artists of colour within the Gallery’s permanent collection as one of his priorities moving forward.

The appointment comes as Concordia launches a new curatorial studies programme, which Rose-Antoinette noted could create further opportunities for students to engage with exhibition-making and public programming through the Gallery.

Photo : Athena Lucie Assamba