Senior Curator - African Art

Guggenheim Abu Dhabi; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 1,000,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Job summary

Guggenheim Abu Dhabi seeks a Senior Curator of African Art to provide scholarly and strategic leadership for its modern and contemporary African Art collection from the 1960s to today. The role shapes acquisitions, research, publications, and partnerships, advancing a global dialogue through innovative exhibitions and audience engagement.

The candidate will lead collaborations across departments, manage complex loan negotiations, and contribute to scholarly programs, catalogs, and public

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Art History with a focus on modern/contemporary African Art.
• PhD in Art History or related field preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of curatorial experience in a major museum or equivalent.
• Proven leadership of large-scale exhibitions, installations, and publications.
• Experience managing complex loan negotiations and partnerships.
• Record of fundraising and donor engagement.

Responsibilities

• Provide curatorial leadership for African Art collection (1960s–present).
• Lead acquisition strategies, research initiatives, and collaborations.
• Oversee exhibitions, rotations, and interpretive installations.
• Manage loans, negotiations, and partnerships with international institutions.
• Represent the museum in lectures, panels, and professional networks.
• Mentor Associate/Assistant Curators and project staff.
• Develop educational and public programs related to African art.
• Publish scholarly work in catalogs, journals, and digital platforms.

Skills

African Art knowledge

Scholarly writing

Project management

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Mentoring/teaching

Independent and collaborative work

Education

Master's degree in Art History (modern/contemporary African Art)

PhD in Art History

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Senior Curator, African Art is responsible for providing scholarly, strategic, and curatorial leadership for the museum’s modern and contemporary African Art collection (1960s to the present) and related programming. The role will lead the development of collection strategies, acquisitions, exhibitions, research initiatives, publications, and institutional partnerships that advance the mission of Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. The Senior Curator will serve as a recognized expert in modern and contemporary African art and will contribute to the museum’s vision of fostering global artistic dialogue through innovative exhibitions, research, and audience engagement.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Curatorial Leadership & Collection Development

• Lead the strategic development, growth, and stewardship of the African Art collection in alignment with the museum’s mission, vision, and institutional priorities.
• Define collecting priorities and acquisition strategies, identifying significant works and opportunities for collection enhancement.
• Provide curatorial oversight for collection rotations, installations, and re-installations, ensuring the highest standards of scholarship and interpretation.
• Collaborate closely with Conservation, Registration, Collections Management, and Exhibition teams to ensure the care, documentation, and presentation of artworks.

Exhibitions & Projects

• Conceive, research, develop, and lead major exhibitions, collection installations, commissions, and interdisciplinary curatorial projects.
• Serve as lead curator for complex and large-scale exhibitions from concept development through implementation and evaluation.
• Lead exhibition planning, object selection, interpretation, publications, and related public programs.
• Manage complex domestic and international loan negotiations and agreements for exhibitions and collection projects.
• Collaborate with other institutions and partners on co-organized and traveling exhibitions.

Research & Scholarship

• Conduct original research on African art and contribute to the advancement of scholarship within the field.
• Lead and undertake collection research, including provenance research where required.
• Publish original scholarly work through exhibition catalogues, collection publications, digital platforms, peer-reviewed journals, books, and other academic forums.
• Maintain awareness of emerging developments, trends, and critical discourse related to African art and contemporary curatorial practice.

Institutional Relations & Representation

• Build and maintain strong relationships with artists, collectors, galleries, auction houses, museums, cultural institutions, scholars, and donors.
• Represent Guggenheim Abu Dhabi as an international ambassador through lectures, conference presentations, panel discussions, juries, and professional networks.
• Support institutional partnerships and collaborative initiatives with museums, universities, and cultural organizations globally.
• Engage with collectors and patrons to facilitate acquisitions, donations, and long‑term relationships that strengthen the museum’s collection.
• Member, Sponsor and Donor Relations: Support the growth of membership groups and philanthropic partnerships for the museum.
• Contribute to grant applications, sponsorship opportunities, donor cultivation, and stewardship activities.

Team Leadership & Management

• Provide leadership, mentorship, and supervision to Associate Curators, Assistant Curators, researchers, interns, and project-based staff.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, intellectual rigor, innovation, and professional development.
• Work effectively across departments to ensure successful delivery of curatorial objectives and institutional goals.

Public Engagement & Interpretation

• Contribute to the development of educational, public, and digital programs that enhance visitor engagement with African art.
• Collaborate with Learning and Interpretation teams to ensure accessible, relevant, and impactful content for diverse audiences.
• Act as a spokesperson and subject matter expert for the collection, exhibitions, and curatorial initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

Education

• Master's degree in Art History with concentration in modern and contemporary African Art or a related discipline required.
• PhD in Art History or a relevant field preferred.

Experience

• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible curatorial experience within a major museum, cultural institution, or comparable organization.
• Demonstrated expertise in modern and contemporary African Art with recognized scholarly contributions to the field.
• Proven experience leading large-scale exhibitions, collection installations, commissions, and publication projects.
• Experience managing complex loan negotiations and institutional partnerships.
• Track record of successful fundraising, grant development, donor engagement, and securing gifts of artworks.
• Experience supervising and mentoring curatorial staff and interdisciplinary teams.

Knowledge, Skills & Competencies

• Deep knowledge of modern and contemporary African Art history and contemporary developments within the field.
• Strong research, analytical, and scholarly writing skills.
• Working knowledge of provenance research, collections management, and museum ethics.
• Understanding of legal, ethical, and professional standards governing acquisitions, collecting, and exhibition practices.
• Familiarity with the international art market and established relationships with collectors, galleries, dealers, and auction houses.
• Knowledge of conservation principles and museum collection care practices.
• Excellent project management and organizational skills.
• Strong interpersonal, negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management abilities.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a dynamic, multicultural environment.
• Proven ability to engage effectively with artists, scholars, patrons, board members, donors, and the public.