The Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia's famously idiosyncratic art institution, just made a power move. They've tapped Connie H. Choi as their new chief curator, and she's not just curating — she's also stepping into the shiny new role of vice president for art and education. Because, apparently, one title just isn't enough when you're shaping the future of art.
Choi, who officially starts September 8, is taking the reins from Nancy Ireson, who exited last November. Consider the curatorial baton passed.
From Harlem to Philadelphia's Barnes
For nearly a decade, Choi was a linchpin at the Studio Museum in Harlem, working alongside director Thelma Golden to sculpt its vision. She was a major player in the museum's grand reopening last fall, even leading the charge on "From Now: A Collection in Context" for the new building.
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Start Your News DetoxShe also pulled off a "feat of scholarship" (as ARTnews put it) with a show on Tom Lloyd, the artist who had the Studio Museum's very first exhibition. Talk about full circle. Her resume also boasts hits like "Black Refractions: Highlights from The Studio Museum in Harlem" and the ingenious Find Art Here initiative, which brought museum reproductions to the streets of Harlem.
Choi isn't just a curator; she's an academic force, having taught art history at Barnard, Columbia, and NYU. And her work has earned some serious hardware, including a Henry Allen Moe Prize for her "Black Refractions" catalog.
She's apparently quite jazzed about the Barnes's educational bent, saying it aligns perfectly with her own background. Which makes sense, given her new, expansive role.
At the Barnes, Choi will be the grand conductor of the museum's curatorial and educational orchestras. This means overseeing everything from collections and conservation to exhibitions and adult learning programs. She'll even keep curating her own shows and publishing research, because who needs downtime?
Thom Collins, the Barnes's executive director, explained that these departments are now under Choi's singular vision, aiming to create a more interconnected experience. With her track record and expertise in African diaspora art, Collins believes she's uniquely suited to make those connections sing. Which, if you think about it, is both impressive and slightly terrifying for anyone who prefers their departments neatly siloed.
