The Warhol Foundation has announced the recipients of its final round of grants, amounting to $ 3.9 million and will be distributed to 50 arts organizations across 18 states and the District of Columbia. Among the beneficiaries, 19 are recipients of a foundation grant for the first time. In recognition of the lasting and destabilizing effects of the pandemic on the arts sector, the Warhol Foundation will allow beneficiaries to use up to 50% of the grant on administrative costs.
A few common themes emerged from the organizations and projects that received funding in this cycle. Some initiatives are social justice-oriented, highlighting issues of Indigenous land rights, climate change and sustainability, and racial inequality. Others hope to train their eyes on forgotten figures that have been buried in the historical archive as a result of structural forces that have worked against them throughout their lives: Several grants will support major museums and institutions hosting the first solo exhibition of an underrepresented artist. retrospective. A number of organizations celebrate the art of film, multimedia and performance through the restoration, programming and commissioning of experimental work, and also announced $ 356,000 in curatorial scholarships for curators working on disability projects, spiritual practices alternatives, bio-art and art created by immigrants.
Black Cube, based in Englewood, Colorado, is a distinctive nonprofit “nomadic art museum” that operates as a traveling institution of contemporary art. The name is a play on the experience of the conventional “white cube” museum. Black Cube, which received a $ 60,000 grant from the foundation to support the program over two years, hosts 18-month-old artist scholarships and showcased site-specific installations in Colorado, New York City. , Pittsburgh, and the U.S.-Mexico border.
“As an artist-centered nomadic nonprofit, it means the world for us is getting the support of the Andy Warhol Foundation,” said Cortney Stell, chief curator and executive director of Black Cube, Hyperallergic. “Not only does the Warhol Foundation bring with it a recognizable cache that is delicious to share with our community, but they are a well-known foundation for supporting artists above all, a vision that we are very much aligned with.”
The American Indian National Museum, located in the Manhattan Financial District, received a $ 100,000 grant to host a retrospective of Shelley Niro, a multidisciplinary Mohawk artist from New York and Ontario known for her photography and production. her movies. Titled Shelley Niro: 500 Year Itch, the show’s subtitle is derived from a self-portrait of the artist wearing a white dress and a blonde wig under the guise of Marilyn Monroe.
“Through her art, Niro brings attention to Indigenous women’s stories and the challenges posed by colonial patriarchies,” David Penney, the exhibition’s curator, said in an email. “This grant will help us create an exhibition that explores these themes through Niro’s remarkable body of work.”
Anthology Film Archives (AFA), co-founded in 1970 by Jonas Mekas, Jerome Hill, P. Adams Sitney, Peter Kubelka, and Stan Brakhage, is a film preservation partner in the East Village of New York. The organization received a $ 75,000 grant to continue its work and put together a program that reflects on “the diversity of contemporary filmmaking culture.”
Jad Rapfogel, an AFA film programmer, said the support came at a crucial time: “Apart from the fact that the Anthology is specifically dedicated to showing (and preserving) non-commercial cinema in a of an independent challenge – which by definition is not a lucrative endeavor. – it is becoming increasingly difficult for self-sustaining repertoire cinemas, especially given the increased video streaming and the impact of a pandemic that has exacerbated the transition to screenings in but. ”
“With all this in mind, it is no exaggeration to say that the Andy Warhol Foundation grant is completely indispensable in enabling us to continue to carry out our mission,” Rapfogel added.
In another notable project, the Berkeley Museum of Art and the Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) received a $ 100,000 grant to explore the life and work of the born Chicana curator, artist and writer. in the Amalia Mesa-Bains Bay Area, whose art investigates themes of Mexican Catholicism, colonialism and exoticism, feminism, and multiculturalism.
“This comprehensive retrospective and publication will bring the long-awaited attention to Amalia’s innovative work as a pioneering figure in Chicanx feminist art,” said BAMPFA Chief Curator Christina Yang. “We are proud to present this exhibition as part of BAMPFA’s commitment to expanding the historical canon of art through the urgent representation of BIPOC, women, and LGBTQ + artists.”
A full list of beneficiaries will be available on the foundation’s website.
Jasmine Liu is a staff writer for Hyperallergic. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, he studied anthropology and mathematics at Stanford University. Find it on
What makes a good curator?
More by Jasmine Liu
You have to be brave, charismatic, fearless and willing to take risks and make mistakes. See the article : Music for general social fatigue: that’s why Ed Sheeran sells so much. Great curators will look around corners, embrace and expose unusual and unexpected themes and sources, and make bold predictions about their passions and beliefs.
- What are the qualities of a curator? Skills and qualities
- organizational skills to plan and manage exhibitions.
- communication skills to work with other staff members, answer visitors ’questions and give talks.
- attention to detail when researching and cataloging items.
- business and marketing skills.
What do art curators look for?
creative ability to make an exhibition or exhibition attractive.
What is the role of a curator?
Curators are not only interested in your work, they are interested in what you are trying to convey. A museum may choose a theme for a block of exhibitions and be more likely to consider your works if it goes into it. On the same subject : Clark Art Features ‘Rodin in America’. Think about your perspective as an artist and how your work aligns with that aspect.
How do you become an assistant curator?
Museums and galleries typically employ a number of curators whose role is to acquire, care for and develop a collection. To see also : The Brooklyn Museum reopened an entire floor for the Arts and the Islamic World in September 2022, including the New South Asian Art Collection and the Islamic World Art.. They will also arrange collection exhibitions and borrowed works and interpret the collection in order to inform, educate and inspire the public.
Education: Curatorial assistants are often required to have at least a bachelor’s degree in art history, or studies in museums. A master’s degree is usually preferred. Course work in business administration, public relations, and marketing can also be helpful for most administrative parts of the job.
How do I start a career in curator?
How long does it take to become a curator? To become a curator at a national museum, a PhD is required, as well as about five years of on-site experience. The market is competitive, and academic standards are very high. Useful graduate degrees include restoration science, curator, art history, history, chemistry and business administration.
What is assistant curator?
Curators typically require a master’s degree in art history, history, archeology, or museum studies. Students with an apprenticeship experience can have an advantage in the competitive job market. In small museums, curator positions may be available to applicants with a bachelor’s degree.
Can you be a curator without a PHD?
The job of an assistant curator is to assist the principal curator in a multi-tasking museum. These jobs include things like research help exhibiting and collecting new items to display as well as cataloging.
The minimum requirement to become a museum curator is a bachelor’s degree. You can get a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as history, archeology, art, or museum studies.
Is it difficult to become a museum curator?
Can I call myself a curator? According to Merriam-Webster, you can’t call yourself a “curator” simply because you’ve recently organized an art exhibition. In fact, the dictionary is better suited to allow you this title if you feed the zebras than if you put up paintings and sculpture in the Museum of Modern Art.
