Curatorial Assistant, Painting and Sculpture (Temporary)

The Museum of Modern Art, founded in 1929 as an educational institution, is dedicated to being the foremost museum of modern and contemporary art in the world. Through the leadership of its trustees and staff, MoMA establishes, preserves, and documents a collection of the highest order that reflects the vitality, complexity, and unfolding patterns of modern and contemporary art. The Museum presents exhibitions and educational programs of unparalleled significance, sustains a renowned library, archives, and conservation laboratory, and supports scholarship and publications of preeminent intellectual merit. Central to MoMA’s mission is encouraging an ever-deepening understanding and enjoyment of modern and contemporary art by diverse local, national, and international audiences.

About the role

The Museum of Modern Art is seeking a temporary Curatorial Assistant in the Department of Painting and Sculpture. MoMA houses the world’s largest and most inclusive collection of modern painting and sculpture, comprising approximately 4,000 works from the late nineteenth century to the present. The Painting and Sculpture Department produces a rigorous and innovative program of acquisitions, exhibitions, and scholarship.

The Curatorial Assistant supports senior curators in all areas of responsibility, including administrative and curatorial functions such as research for exhibitions and publications, loans, acquisitions, collections records, and general curatorial inquiries.

Responsibilities

• Assists senior curators with research, planning, organization, and realization of upcoming exhibitions.
• Writes, edits, and assists in the production of Museum publications and exhibition-related materials, including wall texts and extended object labels.
• Researches and catalogs the Museum collection and archives as they relate to exhibition projects and answers related inquiries.
• Performs exhibition support functions, including bibliographic and checklist research, loan correspondence, publication research and production, website development, and public program planning.
• Assists in the maintenance of the collection and loans, and expedites arrangements for custodial, registration, conservation, and preparation work in gallery, study, and storage areas.
• Functions as a liaison with outside persons and organizations, as well as with other departments within the Museum.
• May assist in research and preparation for potential acquisitions, including biographical and bibliographical research, maintaining files, and communicating with dealers, galleries, collectors, and artists.
• Stays informed of current activity in the area of departmental interest through gallery and museum visits, publications, etc., and makes recommendations to senior staff.
• Conducts daily collection gallery inspections and daily inspections of works on view in temporary exhibitions; assists with follow-up arrangements in the event of damage or deterioration.
• Answers inquiries and conducts gallery tours as necessary for visitors.
• Performs other duties reasonably related to the functions described above.

Requirements

• Master’s or PhD degree in art history, or equivalent work experience.
• Expertise in 21st-century American and European art history.
• One to two years’ experience working in a museum or supporting loan exhibitions and accompanying publications.
• Superior research, writing, and editing skills.
• Professional proficiency in a second language (in addition to English).
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work successfully as part of a team.
• Working knowledge of Google Suite and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Familiarity with The Museum System (TMS) is helpful.

Schedule

• On-site presence is required five days per week during the 90-day initial employment period.
• Thereafter, the schedule is four days per week onsite, subject to change at management’s discretion, with the understanding that some weeks will require five days on-site.

Pay

The salary for this position is $74,858 (gross) per annum.

This is a unionized position at MoMA, with covered employees represented by Local 2110, UAW, AFL-CIO.