The Philadelphia Museum of Artwork (PMA) has employed Eleanor Nairne as head of the museum’s Fashionable and up to date artwork division. The brand new place brings collectively two beforehand unbiased departments. Nairne beforehand served as senior curator at London’s Barbican Artwork Gallery, the place she curated widespread exhibitions of works by Alice Neel, Lee Krasner and Jean-Michel Basquiat (the preferred present within the museum’s historical past), amongst others. She can be a contributor to this publication.
“I sit up for attending to know Philadelphia—bringing my outsider’s perspective, but additionally discovering out what folks in Philadelphia need and what they really feel the establishment ought to be doing,” Nairne tells The Artwork Newspaper. As a analysis specialist in post-war American artwork, she notes that regardless that she has labored quite a few instances with US museums previously, this can be her first job working for one. She is especially enthusiastic about “disengaging from hierarchical notions” and “emotionally and psychologically taking the museum off its pedestal”, with a concentrate on collaboration with museum employees and curators and outdoors companions in planning new exhibitions and increasing the PMA’s everlasting assortment.
“Eleanor’s world background and limitless curiosity are what the PMA wants because it strikes into its future,” PMA director Sasha Suda stated in an announcement.
Nairne is the daughter of Sandy Nairne, former longtime director of London’s Nationwide Portrait Gallery. Her closing exhibition on the Barbican, Julianknxx: Refrain in Rememory of Flight, closes on 11 February. She is scheduled to start her new place on the PMA later this month.