The Jill and Paul Ruddock Curator, Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Deadline: Review of applications will commence July 16, 2021
Please submit a letter of interest, CV and names of at least 3 references through the Met’s LinkedIn job portal:
About the opportunity:
The medieval collections at The Metropolitan Museum of Art comprise one of the world’s finest, most comprehensive collections of medieval and Byzantine art. Presented in galleries at Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters, these collections offer unparalleled opportunities to situate the medieval period within a global context and to explore its connection to contemporary concerns and ideas. The Jill and Paul Ruddock Curator will have specialized knowledge of late medieval art and an interest in working broadly across the collection in support of departmental and Museum activities. With an office at The Met Cloisters, the curator will be a senior member of the curatorial team of the Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters. The Ruddock Curator will be responsible for performing all curatorial duties, including: researching, studying, and publishing works in the collection under his/her curatorial responsibility; recommending acquisitions to complement the existing collection; proposing future exhibitions and publications; and maintaining positive and fruitful relations with colleagues in the Museum and in the academic world, with dealers and auctioneers, and with Museum trustees and other supporters. The ideal candidate will be an experienced, published scholar passionately interested in the arts of the later Middle Ages, its making and its context, and in improving the collection through gift and purchase, and deeply committed to the Museum’s mission of public outreach. The successful candidate will have expertise in late medieval art and will also be open to global and transhistorical projects. A commitment to social engagement is essential, as is a willingness to critique and reimagine the traditional museum. Given the renewed commitment to forging strong relationships with the vibrant and vital neighborhoods to which The Met Cloisters belongs, the successful candidate must also be committed to collaborating with and learning from local artists and activists and the surrounding community.
Requirements and Qualifications
- Minimum of ten (preferably fifteen) years of museum or experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities required, a demonstrated track record of scholarly research and publication; experience with community engagement;
- Demonstrated experience working directly with objects with a track-record of accomplishing and leading original research around works of art in area of specialization;
- Commitment to exploring diverse approaches to the Middle Ages, and to engaging directly with diversity, equity, access, and inclusion (DEIA) initiatives in museum and professional community;
- Proven ability to conceive and develop and execute complex projects, preferably exhibitions or other public-facing initiatives;
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with colleagues across a complex organization and externally with scholars, donors, dealers and the general public;
- Ability to work closely with all staff within the department and with colleagues throughout the Museum;
- Strong computer skills and an interest contributing to the Met’s social media platforms;
- D. in the history of art or equivalent through publications;
- Proficiency with languages and international experience desired.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.
