Associate Professor of Critical & Curatorial Studies

Deadline: Thursday, April 10, 2014, with application review continuing until the position is filled.

Position Description. The Department of Art at UC Irvine’s Claire Trevor School of the Arts seeks an Assistant or Associate Professor of Critical & Curatorial Studies. The Department of Art offers both Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degrees. The starting date for the position is July 1, 2014, with teaching beginning in September 2014.

Faculty positions at the University of California entail research, teaching, and service responsibilities. The Department seeks a colleague conducting research at the forefront of critical and curatorial studies, broadly defined as the theory and practice of exhibitions and related discourses. Candidates should possess a deep understanding of contemporary art and its precedents, with expertise in one or more of the following: art history, critical theory, performance studies, film/media studies, emerging digital technologies. The Department is interested in curatorial practices that challenge the limits of existing conventions and demonstrate an ability to take a stand, pose questions, and encourage new possibilities, especially in areas where silence has reigned. Candidates must be able to teach courses at the undergraduate and graduate level, while possessing the versatility to conduct critiques, special topic seminars, and university-wide lecture courses on contemporary art.

The successful candidate will become a core faculty member in a growing Critical and Curatorial Studies area (C&C) with active research and instructional programs. With the opening of our Contemporary Art Center in 2012, the campus now has three galleries of greater combined scale than many comparable universities. These curatorial platforms function as research laboratories for exhibitions and commissioned artworks. The C&C program is affiliated with the UCI Program in Visual Studies, as well as other units in the arts, humanities, and sciences. In coming years, the Department will launch an International Center for Critical & Curatorial Studies (CSCA) and a related new PhD program.

With 24 resident faculty members, the UCI Department of Art is a heterogeneous group of artists and scholars, valuing inquiry and experimentation over specific ideologies and intellectual methods. The department’s research and instruction examines how definitions of art play themselves out in contexts ranging from the personal to the public, from the gallery to the street. Located in one of the most diverse regions of the United States, the Department remains mindful of its role in a global society. Faculty interests include legacies of modern and post-modern art discourses, “post-studio” practices, gender and queer theory, deconstruction and postcolonial critique, media and new technologies, museum and curatorial studies, social practice and public/community cultural work.

Qualifications. PhD, or equivalent training; a record of significant research achievements; minimum of 3 years of teaching experience at the post-secondary level (for applicants to the Assistant Professor position), or a minimum of 5 years of teaching experience at the post-secondary level (for applicants to the Associate Professor position); and a strong commitment to teaching, research, service, and collegial collaboration.

Application Requirements
1) A cover letter explaining interest in the position and which position you would like to be considered for (Assistant Professor or Associate Professor; see qualifications above);
2) CV, including record of publications, projects, and/or weblinks;
3) Statement of research practice;
4) Statement of teaching philosophy;
5) Names and contact information for three recommenders; and 6) Copies of three (maximum) publications, to: https://recruit.ap.uci.edu.

Optional. Applicants have the option to submit a portfolio of up to 10 images and other media samples to: https://ctsa.slideroom.com. There is a fee associated with submission of materials.

EEO/AA Policy. UCI is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to excellence through diversity, and strongly encourages applications from women, minorities, and other under-represented groups. UCI is responsive to the needs of dual career couples and is dedicated to work-lifebalance through an array of family-friendly policies, and is the recipient of an NSF Advance Award for gender equity. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. All positions at University of California are subject to budgetary approval.