Current Opportunities
Contemporary Art Specialist
Position Description:
The candidate will be responsible of curating on an annual basis 3-4 temporary exhibitions for contemporary arts, calligraphy and photography for Gallery 1 at the center’s museum while designing inspiring events and experiences to engage audiences with educational programs and talks related to visual art from Saudi Arabia and the surrounding regions. This includes coordination, development, implementation, operations and management of curated exhibits. The workload of the curator is expected to have forecast and plans for a minimum of 3 years, which is equivalent to at least 10 exhibitions at any given time. The candidate will contribute in creating a museum going culture in Saudi Arabia through exhibitions within the center and its outreach programs.
The Contemporary Art Gallery of the museum generates passion for knowledge and understanding of the burgeoning Saudi creativity in visual arts and cultural excellence by celebrating Saudi Arabia’s cultural and natural heritage, and providing a platform for creativity, discovery and cross-cultural engagement. The contemporary art gallery will focus on raising awareness of contemporary art in Saudi Arabia and placing it in regional and global art contexts.
The museum is part of the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, which is a 21st century iconic cultural facility that is multidisciplinary, and combines art and science with a mission focusing on advancing knowledge, creativity and cross-cultural engagement
Minimum Requirements
Education:
Master’s degree (preferably Ph.D.) in Art History, Museum and Cultural Studies, Decorative Arts, Furniture and Furnishings, Graphic Arts, Painting and Sculptures, Films and Videos, Prints, Drawings and Photographs or any related field.
Qualifications:
Exhibition development, curatorial practice, critical writing, contemporary art.
Exceptional knowledge and understanding of contemporary art practices.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Strong organizational skills.
Volunteer management experience.
Willingness to work collaboratively and collectively with a diverse staff.
High capacity to meet deadlines and work under pressure.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work under pressure.
Good understanding of Saudi Arabia art scene, opportunities and barriers, and cultural sensitivities and knowing the who’s who of artists in Saudi Arabia and their key works.
Experience specified:
Minimum of 5 years of experience in Art Education as a curator within a museum or a cultural institution.
Experience providing and executing curatorial direction and administrative planning of galleries and exhibits.
The candidate will have published gallery guides, exhibition catalogs, and/or critical essays in scholarly journals, online, or other recognized contemporary art and museum publications.
Experience installing and curating world-class art exhibitions.
Knowledge of managing publication and print projects.
Primary duties and responsibilities:
The Contemporary Art Curator reports to the Head of Museums & Exhibits and is responsible for:
Participate in the development and communication of a dynamic vision for the Exhibitions Program of the center.
Curate exhibitions and all associated programming.
Design, organize, and conduct tours, workshops, and educational sessions to acquaint individuals with the contemporary art gallery’s artifacts and facilities.
Identify artists and subject matter to generate public and scholarly discourse on contemporary art placing Saudi Arabia in regional and global contexts.
Create exhibitions raising awareness of contemporary art in Saudi Arabia.
Collaborate with Museums & Exhibits, Performing Arts, Multimedia, Library, and Archives staff to develop programs in support of exhibitions on contemporary art.
Oversee acquisitions strategy and recommend the acquisition of museum and gallery artifacts.
Research origins and history of artifacts.
Develop storyline and theme of displays and exhibitions.
Coordinate the storage of collections and setting up of displays and exhibitions.
Supervise technicians, assistants, students or interns, staff or volunteers.
Secondary duties and responsibilities:
Responsibilities may include other research and developmental tasks in preparation for Day One and initial operating capacity for the center.
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