Associate Curator / Curator, Asian Art

Job Summary

RISD Museum, established in 1877, houses over 100,000 works of art and design from around the world. It collaborates closely with RISD's academic programs, aiming to strengthen connections with the local community.

About the Role

The Curator / Associate Curator of Asian Art is responsible for developing and caring for the department's collection, interpreting it through exhibitions, publications, and educational programs, and teaching the collection to RISD faculty and students.

Essential Functions

• Develop the collection and maintain a knowledge of the art market.
• Maintain contact with dealers and donors, recommending purchases and deaccessions.
• Document and preserve objects within the collection, working with conservation.
• Develop exhibitions, educational programs, and interpretative texts.
• Teach and make the collection accessible to various audiences.
• Support fundraising and public relations efforts.

Additional Functions

• Share departmental responsibilities with colleagues.
• Participate in institution-wide and Museum-wide committees and projects.
• Contribute to the academic field and museum profession through lectures, written contributions, and professional engagements.

Qualifications

• Associate Curator: 3-5 years of curatorial and related experience, elementary fundraising experience.
• Curator: 5-7 years of curatorial and related experience, active professional profile, strong donor cultivation, and acquisition history.

Specialization

• Specialization in Asian art, with a focus on historical objects and periods.
• Expertise in Japanese art, particularly works on paper.
• Fluency in a language relevant to the area of specialization, with fluency in Japanese preferred.
• Strong connoisseurship skills and familiarity with conservation and collection care.
• Excellent research, writing, and verbal communication skills.
• A collaborative, teamwork approach.
• Flexibility and strong interpersonal and organizational skills.