The Chrysler Museum of Art (CMA) and the Hampton University Museum (HUM) are pleased to announce a joint graduate curatorial fellowship, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, focused on modern African painting and traditional African sculpture. The Curatorial Fellowship is an opportunity to work with two unique collections of African art in two very special museum collections and environments. This three-year pilot fellowship is available to an outstanding recent MA or Ph.D. graduate specializing in historic and/or contemporary African art and interested in a museum career.
Project Background and Goals
The Fellow’s project will focus on conducting research and eventually organizing an exhibition on works of art in the HUM’s Harmon Foundation Collection, and, the CMA’s African collection. The curatorial fellow will be mentored by Dr. Kimberli Gant, (CMA) and Dr. Vanessa Thaxton-Ward (HUM) for the three-year period. The Fellow will be housed at the Hampton University Museum for the first year; the second year at the Chrysler Museum of Art and will select which institution to be based at during the third year.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Support the program managers in the execution of the three-year pilot project’s mission as well as the mission of both institutions
- Work in two different museum settings in a professional manner
- Conduct and update the inventory for the HUM Harmon Foundation African Art Collection
- Research the Harmon Foundation’s modern African gift to HUM collection to identify 20-30 works to highlight during this project for both conservation, scholarship and exhibition
- Research CMA’s traditional African collection to identify 20-30 works for exhibition
- Organize/curate an exhibition project based on the institutions’ collections to be on view at both institutions in third year
- Create an accompanying catalogue
- Publish research in HUM’s IRAAA journal, project website, and CMA’s Member Magazine
- Present virtual public talks to both CMA and HUM patrons and University students
- Participate in scholarly conferences and seminars to present research in progress
- Participate in bi-weekly meetings with Dr. Gant and Dr. Thaxton-Ward for project updates
- Participate in HUM and CMA regularly scheduled dept meetings
- Other duties as assigned
Required Qualifications
Degree in African History, Art History, Anthropology, or related field, within the past five years, (MA required, Ph. D. preferred) and at least two years professional museum work experience (this can be a combination of internships and employment)
Skills Required
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to effectively connect and engage constituents through public speaking and writing
- Ability to develop and maintain a wide variety of working relationships with many different colleagues at the two sites and including the general public
- Ability to research historical collections and archives
- Ability to input information in collections management system TMS (ideal)
- Ability to proactively manage peaks and flows of workload and complete multiple tasks on time
Application Process
The Applications deadline is June 1, 2021. 5:00 p.m. No applications will be reviewed after that date.
Please email the following to
Kimberli Gant, McKinnon, Ph.D. Curator of Contemporary Art, Chrysler Museum of Art, – kgant@chrysler.org
Vanessa Thaxton-Ward, Ph. D. Director and Chief Curator, Hampton University Museum – vanessa.thaxton-ward@hamptonu.edu
- Cover letter, not to exceed one-page, explaining the applicant’s interest in the fellowship
- An abstract, not to exceed two pages, double-spaced, describing the applicant’s area of research
- A CV of education, employment, honors, awards, and publications
- Three letters of recommendation (academic and professional)
- Two writing samples (scholarly article/research paper/catalogue essay, etc.)
