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The Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) seeks a highly motivated, experienced curator to oversee the display, interpretation, and growth of the museum’s collections of Indigenous art of the Americas. Applicants should be interested in and knowledgeable about the art of pre-1600 (ancient) South America, and ancient to contemporary Native North American art.

In 1920, the CMA became one of the first fine art museums to display the work of Indigenous artists from across the Americas. Pre-1600 art from Mesoamerica, the Isthmian Region, and South America’s Central Andes became a strong focus after World War II; the collection today includes approximately 900 objects and textiles that represent most of the major ancient cultures of Central and western South America.

The collection of Indigenous South American art represents the visual creativity of most major cultures in three ancient regions. The earliest works date to circa 1500 B.C.E. and the latest come from the Aztec Empire (Mexica/Tenochca Empire c. 1300-1521) and the Inka Empire (c. 1200-1533). The collection is one of the most refined and comprehensive of its size in the United States and contains many important works that have few peers elsewhere. Among a wide range of objects, those made by specialists in clay, stone, fiber, and metal are of primary importance in the collection. Strongest overall are the Mesoamerican holdings from present-day Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, represented by approximately 320 objects. These are particularly strong in works from the Classic period, especially Maya works in stone, ceramic, and shell; Veracruz ballgame sculptures; and Colima ceramics. The Central Andean collection (from modern Peru and its neighbors), comprised of nearly 370 objects, has experienced considerable growth over the past twenty years, notably in its representation of textiles, objects of precious metal, and ceramics. Highlights include a world-famous Nasca painted cloth, along with a group of gold ornaments in the Chavin style, and a rare Chimú litter back-rest. The representation of objects from Central America’s Isthmian Region, numbering over 200 works, was greatly strengthened by the addition of a group of important gold ornaments, primarily from the regions now called Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama.   

The Native North American collection, comprised of approximately 300 items from a wide geographical range, has two primary foci: baskets, made circa 1900, and modern and contemporary Southwestern textiles and ceramics.  The curator in this area will collaborate with curators of prints and drawings and contemporary art on future acquisitions by modern and contemporary Native American artists.

The museum is seeking candidates who are eager to lead a distinctive program of exhibitions and public programs in alignment with the museum’s strategic plan and priorities. Key responsibilities will also include making new acquisitions; interpreting and presenting the permanent collection; researching and publishing the collection; cultivating donors; and liaising with Indigenous communities, groups, and nations. Candidates should be skilled at building effective relationships across departments and invested in collaboration and teamwork both within and outside of the museum. The ideal candidate will be sensitive to the enhanced public role of museums today, prioritize the strategic goals of the museum, strive to communicate with scholarly and general audiences, and develop narratives that are relevant and inclusive to diverse audiences. The successful candidate will work with members of the museum’s Native North American Advisory Committee that played a key role in drafting the CMA’s Indigenous Peoples and Land Acknowledgment. The successful candidate will also ensure respectful compliance with claims, visits, and resolutions linked to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The position currently is part of the Department of Art of the Americas and Modern and Contemporary Art and reports to the Chair of that Department. 

A Master’s Degree in Art History or related field (such as History, Anthropology or Native American/Indigenous Studies) is required; a Ph.D. is preferred. Candidates should have at least five years of relevant museum experience, including experience organizing exhibitions (ideally in a collecting institution) and publishing scholarly research, preferably on multiple Indigenous American cultures. It is preferred that the incumbent will have knowledge of the Spanish language. Candidates should also have a proven track record of experience with the ethics of stewarding collections of Indigenous American art.  A full range of benefits accompanies the position.

Applications should include a cover letter that addresses the candidate’s interest in the position and the relevance of their experience to the museum’s collection, a curriculum vita, a writing sample (not longer than 8 pages), and the contact information for three references.