Curator of Modern Art

As The Phillips Collection embarks on an exciting new chapter in its history, we seek a creative, innovative, and seasoned professional to become the Curator of Modern Art. The Curator of Modern Art will help steward its renown historical collection of modern art as part of the museum’s collection of over 6000 works, including painting, sculpture, photography, works on paper, and time-based media. Working alongside a dedicated curatorial team, the Curator of Modern Art will further the museum’s commitment to presenting, acquiring, and fostering greater understanding of modern art by telling more inclusive narratives that expand the art historical canon and reveal continuities between the art of the past and the art of today.

The Curator will bring bold, imaginative thinking to The Phillips Collection, encompassing fresh perspectives and engaging with a multiplicity of transnational, interdisciplinary narratives in modern art. The Curator will provide thought leadership and an energizing vision for curatorial programs and initiatives.

The ideal candidate will have significant curatorial experience organizing major exhibitions, a network within the museum field, knowledge of innovative approaches to curatorial practice, and a desire to engage and reach a broad range of audiences

This is a full-time position reporting to the Chief Curator with full benefit eligibility.

All responsibilities of the Curator of Modern Art will further the museum’s mission and advance the strategic plan and its priorities, as assigned. These include and are not limited to:
• Develop, plan, and execute innovative exhibitions, programs and initiatives, thereby impacting the intellectual and artistic fabric of the institution.
• Work collaboratively on exhibitions, projects, and initiatives with the curatorial team and cross-departmentally.
• Curate visually exciting and intellectually stimulating installations of the permanent collection that integrate modern with contemporary art.
• Prioritize diversity, equity, inclusion and access into all aspects of curatorial work.
• Work with the chief curator and director in identifying acquisitions and cultivating gifts to support collecting priorities for the collection.
• Develop new and deepen existing relationships with the art community and organizational partners locally, nationally, and internationally.
• Produce original research (catalogues, essays, articles, lectures, gallery talks, web-based media), and participate in conferences and workshops.
• Collaborate with advancement team in writing grants and proposals, as well as in cultivating prospective donors, collectors, and members.
• Keep abreast of best practices in curation and museum practice broadly.
• Supervise and mentor staff, fellows, and/or interns, as requested.
• Perform other duties as assigned or required.

• An MA or PhD in art history or a related field with a focus on modern art.
• Knowledge of modern art, with expertise in late 19th and 20th century European art preferred.
• Five years or more of curatorial experience, with at least three years in a museum.
• Proven track record of curating complex loan exhibitions and engaging programs related to European art of the 19th and 20th centuries that have reimagined the discipline in more inclusive, diverse, and culturally resonant ways.
• Team-player with experience working effectively with colleagues internally and externally to deliver projects on time and on budget.
• Strong record of scholarship and public speaking, with experience initiating exhibitions and producing publications.
• Enthusiasm for innovative approaches to curatorial practice
• Strong collaborator and community builder.
• Ability to build positive and effective relationships with members, donors, co-workers, and the broader community.
• Excellent research, oral and written communication, and interpersonal skills
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Prior supervisory skills desirable.
• Ability to attend evening and weekend events and travel both domestically and internationally.