Current Opportunities

The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, part of the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis, seeks a two-year Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellow in Modern Art. The fellowship provides hands-on curatorial training and supports scholarly research related to the Kemper Art Museum’s collection of 19th and early 20th art. Time is divided between specific projects and general curatorial work, including research on the collection and new acquisitions, rethinking the presentation of the collection, participation in aspects of special exhibition projects, and opportunities to give public lectures.

The Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellow at the Kemper Art Museum should have in-depth expertise in the field of modern art, knowledge of curatorial practices, and a demonstrated interest in developing critical narratives of modernism that incorporate a multiplicity of creative perspectives.

Funding

The Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellowship is a benefited position reporting to the Director and Chief Curator.

Compensation is $53,000 a year plus benefits, as well as additional funds for research and travel.

Responsibilities

• Advance art historical research on the Museum’s collection of modern art including provenance research to develop and execute permanent collection installations as well as new interpretive materials
• Coordinate the traveling exhibition African Modernism in America: 1947-1967 organized by the American Federation of Arts and Fisk University Galleries.  (anticipated to open spring 2023)
• Conceptualize public programs and scholarly events in support of permanent collection rotations and this special exhibition.
• Depending on the Fellow’s interests and the Kemper Art Museum’s needs, they may also participate in public programming and museum education activities.

Requirements

• PhD in Art History or related field with expertise in 19th and early 20th century art
• Knowledge of critical histories and theories of race, class, gender and colonialism in relation to the production, reception, and interpretation of art
• Some museum experience desired  
• Proficiency in one or more foreign languages appropriate to the field of scholarship with fluency strongly preferred
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Teaching experience welcome but not required

Application requirements

• Cover letter
• CV
• 2 recommendations
• 1 writing sample

For a complete posting, full requirements, and application, visit this link.

Washington University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status.

Candidates from minority groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Institutional background

Washington University, a medium-sized, independent university, is dedicated to challenging its faculty and students alike to seek new knowledge and greater understanding of an ever-changing, multicultural world. The University is counted among the world’s leaders in teaching and research and draws students and faculty to St. Louis from all 50 states and more than 120 nations. The University is highly regarded for its commitment to excellence in learning. Its programs, administration, facilities, resources, and activities combine to further its mission of teaching, research, and service to society.

The Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis is a unique collaboration in interdisciplinary architecture, art, and design education, linking professional studio programs with the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum in the context of an internationally recognized research university.

The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum is among the nation’s leading university art museums. As a teaching museum within a major research university, it serves as a center of cultural and intellectual life on campus and in St. Louis. Its mission is to build and preserve its art collection for current and future generations; collect significant modern and contemporary art; provide excellence in art historical research, exhibition, and object-based learning; and engage the campus population, its visitors and alumni, the St. Louis region, and the global art community.