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Curator of European and American Art (Open Rank), Allen Memorial Art Museum

The Allen Memorial Art Museum (AMAM) at Oberlin College is seeking applicants for a curatorial position in European and American art at the assistant, associate, or full curatorial level. The curator will oversee all aspects of the museum’s research, interpretation, and presentation of its important pre-1900 art collections and will collaborate with the curator of academic programs, curator of education, and other staff to engage students in curatorial and research projects and plan a broad range of public programs. The curator should have particular strength in the 1500-1900 time period and be conversant with multiple areas and periods of European and American art. The curatorship is a continuing 12-month Administrative and Professional Staff position at the Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin College, reporting to the director of the museum.

Responsibilities: The curator will oversee an outstanding permanent collection of approximately 5,500 works of art dating from antiquity to 1900, the major part of them paintings, sculptures, and works on paper from the medieval period through the 19th century. Specific responsibilities include:

• developing in-house and traveling exhibitions and collection installations;
• monitoring and making recommendations for care of the collection;
• teaching with the collection for Oberlin College classes and for other groups;
• participating in collection- and exhibition-related programming for campus and public audiences;
• working with curatorial colleagues and Oberlin College faculty to conceptualize and initiate teaching exhibitions;
• identifying acquisitions through purchase and gift;
• carrying out original research and publishing on the collection;
• expanding physical and digital access to collections;
• working closely with the director and Oberlin College staff to cultivate a broad donor base and to identify, apply for, and report on grant-funded activities;
• contributing to the development of the museum’s strategic planning initiatives;
• preparing a long-range plan for pre-1900 holdings;
• mentoring and supervising student assistants;
• and other duties as assigned.

Requirements: An M.A. in art history or a closely-related field is required, a Ph.D. in art history is preferred. All applicants should have at least 3 years of full-time curatorial experience caring for an art collection and experience working on exhibitions; consideration for associate or full curator rank will be commensurate with experience. Other requirements include:

• broad knowledge of art history, particularly from the medieval period through the 19th century, and a deep commitment to a contextual, cross-disciplinary approach to original works of art;
• demonstrated knowledge of, and experience with, the exhibition process;
• a record of publication and public speaking;
• object-based teaching experience;
• some experience relating to the conservation of works of art and to provenance research;
• a commitment to expanding access to the collection for diverse audiences and to fostering inclusion through museum curatorial practice;
• excellent communication skills, as a substantial amount of time will be spent with others on the phone, through email, in video meetings, and in person, and effective leadership and interpersonal skills;
• outstanding collaborative abilities, as the curator will be an important liaison between the museum and faculty, students, supporters, visitors, and community partners;
• highly-developed administrative and organizational capabilities;
• a high degree of professionalism, close attention to detail, collegiality, and ability to meet deadlines;
• the ability to work occasional evening and weekend hours, with some travel required, and to lift and carry objects weighing up to 25 pounds;
• foreign language skills commensurate with one’s field.

Compensation: Salary will be commensurate with qualifications
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