Reporting to the director, the Curator of Exhibitions will serve on the Sheldon’s Senior Artistic Vision Team and oversee the museum’s Exhibitions and Collections Department.
The Senior Artistic Vision Team has the responsibility of ensuring the artistic and conceptual integrity of Sheldon’s efforts in developing and implementing exceptional programming that serves and engages its multiple audiences, including University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) faculty and students, community partners, Sheldon members, and the general public.
Responsibilities of the Curator of Exhibitions include, but are not limited to, proposing, developing, and implementing exhibition projects; conducting original research on Sheldon’s collection and potential acquisitions; presenting lectures and gallery talks; cultivating donors, collectors, and other Sheldon supporters; supervising Assistant Curator of Exhibitions, collections management staff, and exhibitions preparators; developing and managing departmental budgets and schedules; and writing materials as needed for exhibitions, educational programs, publications, grant proposals, press releases, social media, etc.
The ideal candidate will possess a demonstrated ability to produce original object-centered exhibitions, a proven intellectual track record related to his/her field of study and/or professional endeavors, a commitment to responsible collections stewardship, broad interests and expertise supported by the Sheldon’s permanent collection, and great familiarity with and understanding of contemporary art practices. S/he should have the curatorial agility to both contextualize and grow the strengths of Sheldon’s collection within the landscape of art being made today.
Sheldon Museum of Art’s landmark Philip Johnson—designed building houses the collections of the Sheldon Art Association, founded in 1888, and the University of Nebraska. Together the collections comprise more than 12,000 artworks in diverse media. The museum’s comprehensive collection of American art include prominent holdings of 19th-century landscape and still life, American Impressionism, early Modernism, geometric abstraction, Abstract Expressionism, minimalism, photography, and contemporary art. More than thirty of Sheldon’s monumental sculptures are exhibited throughout the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s City and East Campuses, including major works by Jesus Moroles, Gaston Lachaise, Jacques Lipchitz, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, Richard Serra, Yinka Shonibare, Michael Heizer, Roxy Paine, and Mark di Suvero. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln, chartered in 1869, is one of the nation’s leading teaching institutions, and is recognized internationally for a wide array of research projects aimed at broadening knowledge in the sciences and humanities.
Required Qualifications: Master’s degree with doctoral-level scholarly production in art history or related field. Must have five years of professional experience in a museum or related field including the organizing of substantial exhibitions. Two years of professional experience in a direct supervisory role of paid employees required. Must have a demonstrated project history in developing and implementing original exhibitions along with the knowledge of and commitment to current exhibition practices and collection stewardship policies. Excellent writing, communication, and public speaking skills for multiple audiences required. Must demonstrate the ability to promote collaborative teamwork, creativity, and open communication with diverse constituencies. Must have the ability to concurrently manage, delegate, and execute multiple tasks to meet firm deadlines along with the ability to exercise discretion and independent judgment in the performance of duties with only general supervision or direction.
Preferred Qualifications: PhD in a discipline supported by the Sheldon’s collections. A record of publication related to the candidate’s field of study. Significant knowledge of modern and contemporary art as demonstrated by professional endeavors.
Criminal background check will be conducted. Excellent benefits including staff/dependent scholarship program. Applicant review begins May 17, 2016. View requisition S_160163 at https://employment.unl.edu for details and to apply. UNL is committed to a pluralistic campus community through affirmative action, equal opportunity, work-life balance, and dual careers.
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