Job Summary
The Curatorial Fellowship Program at the Harvard Art Museums is designed to broaden the experience of scholars embarking on professional careers in art history who are considering the museum profession.
The Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art is responsible for over 60,000 works spanning more than 7,000 years. Strengths of the collection include ancient Chinese bronze vessels, jades, and ceramics; Buddhist sculptures, wall paintings, and texts; Korean ceramics; and Chinese, Korean, and Japanese paintings and calligraphy.
Job-Specific Responsibilities
The Henderson Curatorial Fellow works closely with the Alan J. Dworsky Associate Curator of Chinese Art to conduct object-based and archival research and scholarship on the East Asian Collections of the Harvard Art Museums and prepares interpretive materials for this collection.
The Curatorial Fellow has the opportunity to work on two upcoming temporary exhibitions—on East Asian ceramics and on Contemporary Asian art—assisting the Dworsky Associate Curator and the Chief Curator.
The Curatorial Fellow assists with a broad range of other curatorial activities, including cataloging of the permanent collection in the Art Museums’ database, and assistance with new acquisitions and donor cultivation. This may include the opportunity to work on activities such as transcribing and translating Chinese and Korean paintings and calligraphy, researching object provenance.
Foregrounding the museum’s teaching and research mission, the Curatorial Fellow also helps provide content expertise and support for the Art Museums’ Art Study Center by supporting classes and individual appointments six hours a week participates in a series of art handling workshops and contributes to a rich offering of public and academic interpretive programs across various platforms.
The Curatorial Fellow will be an active member of the Fellows’ cohort and will participate in regular cohort meetings and in the annual Fellows Symposium at the end of the spring semester.
The Curatorial Fellow may supervise students and temporary employees.
Basic Qualifications
Candidates MUST meet the following basic qualifications in order to be considered for this role:
- MA in art history or archaeology or related fields with expertise in East Asian material culture
Additional Qualifications and Skills
- Ph.D. preferred, knowledge of or specialization in Chinese or Korean art preferred
- Proficiency in Chinese and/or Korean preferred
- Curatorial or related experience helpful; interest in challenging canonical narratives strongly encouraged
- Commitment to fostering the appreciation of works of art in a museum context
- Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills; ability to work independently as well as collaboratively
Additional Information
The Harvard Art Museums are committed to equity and inclusion in its staff and to engaging with a wide range of audiences and constituents, and welcome applications from candidates of diverse backgrounds who share these interests and commitment.
Application Procedures:
Please apply online with a letter of interest and a résumé or curriculum vitae. Complete applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, starting May 26, 2021, and continuing until the position is filled.
Upon review of initial applications, successful candidates will be notified to submit two letters of recommendation. Other supporting documents may include transcripts and writing samples.
Additional Information:
The term of this fellowship is September 7, 2021-August 31, 2023. In addition to $50,000 annual compensation, the fellowship has an allocated travel budget and is eligible to participate in Harvard’s fringe benefits program.
Discover Harvard Art Museums and Harvard University Benefits
A creative, high- energy, collaborative environment
Generous Vacation, Sick, Personal, and Holiday pay
Medical, Dental and Vision benefits starting on your first day
Tuition Assistance Program
Transportation benefits to help with your daily commute
Health and wellness discounts, memberships, and programs
Additional benefits can be found here
PLEASE NOTE: During the current period of Covid-19 related restrictions, this position may start as a remote position, with the transition to onsite in Cambridge when the office reopens.
We continue to monitor the evolving COVID-19 and the lifting of restrictions. We appreciate your understanding and flexibility with our interview process. We will be conducting interviews virtually for selected candidates until further notice.
