Assistant Curator of Photography

TitleAssistant Curator of Photography

State Role Title: VMFA Assistant Hiring Range: $60,000 Pay Band: UG Agency: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Agency Website:https://www.vmfa.museumRecruitment Type: General Public - G Department: Curatorial - Photography

About Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond is one of the largest comprehensive art museums in the United States. VMFAs growing encyclopedic collection houses more than 50,000 works of art spanning 6,000 years of world history. Our holdings include the largest public collection of Fabergé outside of Russia, the finest collection of Art Nouveau outside of Paris, and one of the nations finest collections of American art. VMFA is also home to important collections of Chinese art, English silver, French Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, British sporting art, and modern and contemporary art, as well as renowned South Asian, Himalayan, and African art.

Recently named the 11th-best art museum in the United States by The Washington Post, VMFA is the only US art museum open 365 days a year with free general admission. VMFA is a state-supported, privately endowed educational institution created for the benefit of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Its purpose is to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret art to encourage the study of the arts and thus to enrich the lives of all.

About the Photography Collection

The VMFAs Photography Collection encompasses 10,000 works and spans the history of the medium. It is especially strong in 20th-century and contemporary American photography and holds rich collections of documentary and civil rights photographs. In recent years, the museum has built strong holdings of work by artists working in Virginia and the American South, including Emmet Gowin, Sally Mann, Mark Steinmetz, and others.

In 2019, the museum acquired the holdings of the Aaron Siskind Foundation and additionally works closely with VMFAs Margaret R. and Robert M. Freeman Library to maintain the artist archives of Louis Draper and Willie Anne Wright. Recent and upcoming exhibition projects have helped build the museums holdings of work by Hungarian-born artists, including André Kertész, as well as strong collections of work by Ansel Adams, Dawoud Bey, and May Ray, among others. The collection continues to grow at a rapid pace thanks to generous donors, a substantial acquisitions budget, and a strategic plan that includes targeted acquisitions of artist archives.

A new suite of dedicated galleries slated to open in late 2027 will further expand the exhibition and acquisition program.

Position Overview

Reporting to the Aaron Siskind Curator of Photography and Director of the Raysor Center, this position serves as Assistant Curator of Photography. This role entails developing, researching, exhibiting, teaching about, and cultivating community interest in VMFAs photography collection and programs. This position supports the Aaron Siskind Curator on all activities related to the Photography Department, including acquisition, administration, donor and artist correspondence, updating cataloguing records, researching, proposing, and organizing exhibitions of photography, and developing and expanding the collection through proposed acquisitions.

This is a dynamic opportunity for an innovative, detail-oriented, and collaborative professional interested in advancing their curatorial career in photography. This new position comes at an exciting time for the Photography Department, which was established in 2021. VMFA is currently preparing for a major expansion project that includes a 5,500-square-foot suite of photography galleries slated to open in late 2027 and the 12,500-square-foot Raysor Center for Works on Paper, a state-of-the-art facility for conservation research, public accessibility, and storage of photographs and works on paper.

This position requires national and international travel to represent VMFAs Photography Department across a variety of national and international settings. This position may be eligible for occasional telework availability, hours and duration will be in accordance with the Commonwealths Teleworking policy and the needs of the department on a case-by-case basis.

Key Responsibilities

• Successfully develop and implement curatorial responsibilities for photography exhibition projects, including collection-based exhibitions and large-scale scholarly loan-based exhibitions.
• Serve as needed as in-house curator for traveling exhibitions.
• Contribute to major traveling loan exhibitions of international significance.
• Conduct research on and review collection objects to update catalogue information, research, prepare, and present possible acquisitions, catalogue new acquisitions as needed, and assist the Collection Manager for Works on Paper with collection-related inquiries and study room visits as needed.
• Produce and contribute to publications, including exhibition catalogues, articles, reviews, and website texts.
• Assist the Aaron Siskind Curator of Photography with a range of departmental duties and activities, including acquisition administration, correspondence with artists, donors, collectors, and gallerists, preparing presentation materials, assisting with research and organization for major exhibitions, and managing interns as needed.
• Represent VMFA at national and international conferences, symposia, and other events, including art fairs, gallery openings, and other professional gatherings.
• Sustain and develop relationships with artists, gallerists, collectors, and donors to the collection.
• Promote engagement with VMFA and the Photography Department through tours, talks, and visits to artist, donors, and collectors, and participate in national and international trips designed to cultivate and educate VMFA donors.

Minimum Qualifications

• Knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies typically obtained through the completion of a Masters-level academic curriculum in Art History with a concentration in the History of Photography or equivalent level of practical experience and/or training.
• Thorough knowledge of photographic history, technologies, and processes acquired through a combination of education and/or work experience.
• Curatorial experience preferably in an art museum setting with a focus on photography.
• A demonstrated track record of supporting or organizing photography exhibitions and producing research and scholarship on the history of photography, as evidenced by publications and presentations.
• Fluency with a collection management system preferably The Museum System.
• Experience handling and cataloguing photographs in a curatorial or collections-based role.
• Excellent organizational skills, self-starter with a positive collaborative approach.
• Ability to work independently, multitask, and manage time efficiently.

Benefits

The Commonwealth of Virginia offers a comprehensive total compensation package that includes health benefits, paid leave, and flexible work schedules. The following benefits are available to classified employees:

• Vacation and Other Leave
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Health Benefits
• Sickness and Disability Program
• Deferred Compensation with Cash Match
• Group Optional Life and Long-term Care Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellness Program
• Retirement Plans
• State Employee Resources
• Agency-specific benefits, such as complementary exhibition tickets and discounts on VMFA memberships, dining, shopping, classes, and programs.

Additional Information

This role is a faculty appointment exempt from the Virginia Personnel Act. Special Instructions:

• Please provide three professional references, including their full name, phone number, and email address. References should be able to speak to your qualifications for the position and may be included in your resume or cover letter or attached separately in the portals other field.
• You will be provided with confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to Your Application in your account to check the status of your application for this position.
• VMFA is a Virginia Values Veterans V3 Certified Employer. Diverse and inclusive hiring practices are at the heart of what we do at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Contact Information

For the most up-to-date status of your application, please refer to your Jobs.Virginia.Gov account. Name: VMFA Human Resources Department Email:

recruitment@vmfa.museum