Assistant Curator

Position Description

The List Visual Arts Center, MIT’s contemporary art museum, collects, commissions, and presents rigorous, provocative, and artist-centric projects that engage MIT and the global art community. The Assistant Curator will report to the Curator and support the curatorial department on all elements of public art and collections research and exhibition organization. Under the supervision of the Curator, the position will curate temporary exhibitions in the museum’s List Projects series (typically 3 per year) and contribute to major exhibitions in the main exhibition galleries. The position’s responsibilities include researching, writing, and editing a range of interpretive texts, facilitating the flow of communication with artists, galleries, lenders, and other institutions.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Research, propose, plan, and manage List Projects exhibitions and, at the Curator’s discretion, occasional exhibitions for Reference Gallery, working closely with artists in developing and realizing exhibitions and/or commissions
• Assist the Curator on long-term planning, major exhibitions, as well as traveling exhibitions and/or guest-curated exhibitions
• Negotiate loans with galleries, collectors, artists, and other institutions.
• Effectively communicate and work collaboratively with the Gallery Manager, Registrar, Install Crew, and Visitor Engagement team on all issues concerning exhibition planning, installation, security of artwork, and exhibition maintenance.
• In collaboration with Assistant Director, manage the production and timely completion of content for grant funding of temporary exhibitions and commissions.
• Carefully manage and track exhibition-related budgets.
• In concert with Campus and Public Programs Senior Manager, develop and execute public programs related to List Projects exhibitions.
• Provide donor-related and other public tours of special exhibitions.
• Track and administer List Center exhibition project meetings and related deadlines in Asana.
• Conduct bibliographic and scholarly research related to all exhibitions, publications, and other curatorial projects, which include writing brochure and wall texts, preparing images, and other media for interpretive content.
• Communicate with artists, galleries, lenders, and other cultural institutions about all aspects of artwork presentation.
• Generate and manage exhibition checklists; edit and coordinate object labels, wall text, and other didactic materials.
• On occasion, project-manage exhibition catalogues, developing workflow and timelines with contract employees including editors, graphic designers, publisher, and contributors.
• Provide general administrative support as needed.

Qualifications

M.A. in art history, curatorial studies, or a related field preferred; BA/BS required. Knowledge of contemporary art is a must. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are a must. Minimum 3 years curatorial work experience, or experience in a related field.

To apply, visit: https://hr.mit.edu/careers and enter job id: 24726