Cranbrook Art Museum is accepting applications for a full-time, paid, curatorial fellow to conduct research on mid-twentieth-century modern design. This is a unique opportunity for an emerging scholar with a passion for modern design, decorative arts, or architecture who will help shape our understanding of the role played by various designers, architects, and design companies in the evolution of what many now call midcentury modernism. A major thrust of the Fellow’s work will be assessing and reassessing the contributions of key figures associated with Knoll and Herman Miller. As such they will have special access to the collections and holdings of these companies and others.
The fellow will work closely with the museum director, chief curator, and archivists at MillerKnoll. The research is expected to culminate in an exhibition and/or publication and thus the fellowship period is for a three-year period (ideally August 2022 through July 2025) of work.
The successful applicant will become a key member of the museum staff. The intimate scale of the institution ensures that Fellows are exposed to all aspects of museum operations. Fellowships at Cranbrook Art Museum have attracted talented new curators who have gone on to lead curatorial programs in major museums across the country.
The fellowship is a full-time curatorial position that will:
- In collaboration and cooperation with the curatorial and archival teams at Cranbrook Art Museum and MillerKnoll, co-develop and execute a research plan to support a potential exhibition and publication.
- Conduct research on existing holdings as well as potential acquisitions and prepare related texts and presentations for Cranbrook’s acquisition committees.
- Conduct onsite and offsite object and artist research and assist with display and interpretation within the museum’s innovative, open storage Collections Wing.
- In collaboration and cooperation with the curatorial and registration staff, help develop exhibitions,
including but not limited to checklist development, loan and contributor agreements, the layout of exhibitions, and primary and secondary research of artworks and artists for presentation. - In collaboration and cooperation with the project team and outside parties, help develop publications, including but not limited to manuscript writing, copy editing, fact-checking, image rights acquisition, and facilitation of author and publisher contracts as needed.
- Be required to travel off-campus collections and storage facilities as needed.
