Associate Curator of Chinese Art | USA
Introduction
The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879, is a world-renowned art museum housing one of the largest permanent collections in the United States. An encyclopedic museum, the Art Institute collects, preserves, and interprets works in every medium from all cultures and historical periods. With a collection of approximately 300,000 art works and artifacts, the museum has particularly strong holdings in Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painting, contemporary art, early 20th century European painting and sculpture, Japanese prints, and photography. The museum’s 2009 addition, the Modern Wing, features the latest in green museum technology and 264,000 square feet dedicated to modern and contemporary art, photography, architecture and design, and new museum education facilities. In addition to displaying its permanent collection, the Art Institute mounts more than 30 special exhibitions per year and features lectures, gallery tours, and special performances on a daily basis.
Position Summary
BASIC FUNCTION:
Responsible for expertise, research, display, safe care and education for Chinese art collection, while working with the Curator.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Assists and supports the Curator on keeping the professional standard of the department.
Researches and catalogs for the Chinese Arts, and with the Curator, is responsible for the safe keeping and display of Chinese art collection of all media.
Maintains and updates records of identification, classification, description and interpretation of objects in the permanent collection; conducting research, cataloguing and publication of the permanent collection; and preparing interpretative and informational labels and brochures
Recommends to the Curator for acquisition through research, assess of the validity and importance of the collection, contacts with art dealers, travel and development of funding.
Prepares for exhibits of permanent collection and temporary loan exhibitions, while working with the Curator.
Develops and maintains safe storage facilities while working with the Curator, departmental specialist and technician, and the Department of Conservation.
Maintains contacts with various museum departments (such as Learning and Public Engagement, Curatorial, as well as Conservation, Registration, Security, Publications, Physical Plant, etc..) to insure that the permanent collections and temporary loans are handled and cared for properly.
Coordinates the activities with department groups (such as Asian Art Council).
Assists in fundraising and public relations efforts related to department activities.
Makes museum resources available to historians, scholars, universities, and other museums. Responds to public inquiries regarding identification and care of related materials owned by public.
Lectures within and outside the museums to professional and lay groups and as a member of professional organizations.
Qualifications
This candidate will have the primary expertise in classical Chinese art; an expertise in other areas of Asian art is desired.
- Ph.D. degree (or nearly finishing) in art history/or related subjects required
- Fluency in Chinese (second Asian language desired)
- 5 years of museum or museum related experience
- Established record of scholarly achievement
- Excellent writing, editorial, and communication skills are required
- Leadership, interpersonal and planning skills
For fullest consideration, please visit our website to apply: https://hrweb.artic.edu/recruit/applyjob.html