Position Summary
The Ackland Art Museum seeks a Curator of Asian Art. Dynamic, academically qualified, collegial, and committed to spearheading an ambitious program of activities serving the Museum’s multiple local and national audiences, the successful candidate will oversee a collection of more than 1,200 Asian works of art dating from 2500 BCE to the present, including primarily works from Japan (about 640 works), from China(about 330 works), and from South and South East Asia (about 125). Unique in North Carolina, the collection is now also one of the strongest in the Southeast United States.
The curator will have responsibilities for care, cataloguing, display, and expansion of the collection, organizing and overseeing exhibitions, conducting research, publication, curricular engagement and public outreach, within the context of a public research university that has made a substantial commitment to teaching and research in Asian studies.
The Ackland Art Museum is The University of North Carolina’s local, global art museum at the intersection of campus and community in downtown Chapel Hill. Its collection of over 18,000 works of art presents the breadth of artistic creation at an intimate scale. With a dedication to dynamic conversation, close looking, and expansive thinking, we put the art of understanding at the heart of what we do. Experiences with art at the Ackland – the familiar, the unexpected, and the challenging- spark insight into ourselves, each other, and the world. The Ackland is proud to be free and open to everyone.
Educational Requirements
MA in Asian art history required, PhD or equivalent in Asian art history preferred.
Qualifications and Experience
- Ability to speak, read, and write one or more relevant Asian languages required.
- Proven expertise in pre-modern Asian art required, interest in and awareness of modern and contemporary Asian art preferred.
- Three years of related museum experience is required.
- Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills, with a meticulous attention to details. Excellent written and verbal communications skills including computer skills.
- Proven ability to handle a variety of tasks concurrently in a complex environment, shows good judgment.
- Ability to work independently and collegially with museum staff, university faculty and students, donors, and the arts community.
- Demonstrated experience managing a special collection in a museum, record of conducting scholarly research and writing, exhibition development and publication.
- Demonstrated experience in applying current museum practices to selection, evaluation, presentation, conservation, and exhibition of art objects.
