Curatorial Research Associate, Art of Americas

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, seeks a part-time Curatorial Research Associate (CRA) to work under the direction of the Art of Americas curatorial staff, aiding with the research, administration, and implementation of O’Keeffe and Moore. This exhibition, organized by the San Diego Museum of Art, opens in Boston in October 2024; the MFA is the final venue. The exhibition explores the visual parallels between the works of these two iconic modernists, demonstrating their shared inspiration for making abstractions from natural forms, their relationship to surrealism, and their studio practice. The checklist includes sculpture, paintings, works on paper, and installations recreating both artists’ studios; additional objects will be selected for the Boston venue.

Reporting to the Senior Curator of American Paintings in the Art of Americas, the CRA will carry out a range of exhibition-related tasks. This position offers an opportunity to engage in all curatorial aspects of exhibition planning, execution, and evaluation. Administrative tasks and research will combine with collaborative engagement with the teams at the MFA charged with exhibition preparation, interpretation, design, and installation. The candidate will be charged with thinking expansively and offering creative ideas for integrative exhibition displays and engaging programming. The CRA will be in regular communication with a variety of colleagues within our institution and in our community; these may include private collectors, scholars, and artists. The successful candidate will help refine the exhibition narrative, participate in the writing and review of interpretive texts, generate loan request letters, maintain paper and digital records and files, and ensure colleagues are appropriately included and informed.

This is a part-time position for 21 hours/week for a one-year term, with the possibility of renewal.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience:

• Advanced degree in 20th-century art history, or equivalent related experience, demonstrating scholarly ability and written communication skills through publications, conference papers, and other activities.

• Experience working in museums or related settings, preferably within a curatorial department.

• Competence using The Museum System (TMS) or other collection-related databases.

• Demonstrated interest in and familiarity with the culture and history of Modernism in the United States and Europe.

• Committed to collaborating with others to achieve the best outcome.

• The successful candidate will be responsible in some capacity for every aspect of the exhibition, including administrative tasks, and will be a timely decision maker able to move plans and objectives forward.

• Strong sense of accountability for achieving stated objectives and demonstrable experience doing so.

• Exceptional verbal and written communication, with demonstrated presentation skills.

• Organized and able to effectively and efficiently manage multiple priorities with competing deadlines.

Salary Range

One-year term position

Part-time hourly, 21 hours per week

Hourly rate: $26.00 - $29.00

This position is affiliated with the UAW union

The MFA is an equal opportunity employer. The community and audience we serve is diverse, and we wish to foster that diversity in our workplace. Toward that end, the MFA does not discriminate against individuals in hiring, employment or promotion on the basis of race, religion, color, sex/gender, gender identity and gender expression, age, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, citizenship, handicap or disability, veteran or military status, political belief, pregnancy, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law.