About the Role

The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens seeks a highly motivated and dynamic Gail-Oxford Associate Curator of American Decorative Arts. Reporting to the Virginia Steele Scott Chief Curator of American Art, the Gail-Oxford curator will be an integral part of the curatorial team responsible for the collection of American art at The Huntington, its growth, display, interpretation, publication, and programming. Consisting of objects in all media spanning the colonial era to the 21st century, the American art collection at The Huntington has grown exponentially in recent years, now displayed in 31 galleries of dedicated permanent collection exhibition space.

The Huntington seeks a curator who will bring innovative approaches to the interpretation of American decorative arts and material culture for our diverse audiences. The curator will develop programs and propose acquisitions, engage in exhibition and research projects, foster public engagement, and help build a diverse and inclusive collection. Working from The Huntington’s outstanding collection strengths in American folk art, Arts and Crafts, Greene and Greene, and colonial-era material, the candidate should be capable at growing previously underrepresented areas of our collection, especially works by artists of color, and helping shift to a more hemispheric context by highlighting global exchange between the Americas, Asia, and Europe. Candidates with experience in African American, Latinx, Asian American, or global decorative arts and material culture (or other specialization underrepresented in American museums) are encouraged to apply. In addition to American art, the curator will be an advocate for multidisciplinary scholarship to create synergies between the Art Museum, the Library, the Research Division, and the Botanical Gardens, including our renowned collections of British, French, and Asian decorative arts.

We seek someone with a proven record of building relationships across all levels of an organization and fitting well within an institutional culture that values collegiality, trust, and transparency. S/he/they will demonstrate a background of working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds, using a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible approach.

Essential Duties       

• Pursues scholarly research to support acquisitions, exhibitions, publications, and gallery installations, particularly in the areas of American decorative arts, material culture, and contemporary craft
• In consultation with the Chief Curator and Director of the Art Museum, researches and develops potential acquisitions and advises on a long-term acquisitions strategy that relates to the mission and larger strategic initiatives of the institution; secures important loans of American decorative arts when appropriate
• Works collaboratively with the curatorial team on innovative installations of American art in the permanent galleries, with periodic reassessment and reinstallation, particularly as the collection grows
• Proposes and organizes temporary exhibitions of significance, both traveling exhibitions and rotations within the permanent collection
• Gives public presentations related to the collection, including to gallery educators and the general public, and as appropriate to Trustees, Board of Governors Art Committee, Art Collectors Council, and other Huntington supporters
• Provides research and reference assistance related to the collection for scholars and the public
• Works closely with staff across the Huntington, including colleagues in the Art Division and Conservation in particular, and with the Education, IT, and Research departments on programs related to the American collection and didactic materials
• Works with the Advancement department to identify, nurture, and steward potential donors and/or art collections, and is a keen advocate for the Huntington’s American art collection within the Los Angeles donor community, the region, and beyond
• Supervises curatorial fellows and interns as appropriate
• May perform other related duties as assigned

Candidate Requirements and Experience

Knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• A Ph.D. or M.A. in art history, with a specialization in American decorative arts or material culture, is strongly preferred
• A minimum of 2-5 years museum or related experience
• A record of scholarly research, exhibitions and/or collections-related experience
• Flexible, collaborative approach
• Commitment to welcoming diverse audiences
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and oral and written communication skills
• Ability to prioritize competing tasks effectively in a busy and engaging research setting
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with a diverse group of colleagues, researchers, donors, and other individuals and communities

Preferred:

• Proficiency in a relevant foreign language preferred

The Application Process

Visit us at https://www.huntington.org/employment to apply directly!

Please submit a cover letter and CV/resume as a single PDF attachment.

You will have the opportunity to submit additional documents on the “My Experience” section of the application