As part of a move to emphasize the importance of modern art, the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art has hired Elliot Reichert as its first curator of contemporary art.
Reichert will be curating a contemporary art collection for the museum as well as advising public art at the university. He is relocating from Chicago to take the job, where he’s worked as a curator, editor and researcher for over a decade, according to a press release.
He’s curated exhibitions at multiple Chicago area museums, including the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art at Northwestern and the Chicago Artists Coalition. He has also been an editor at art scholarship and criticism journals including the “Northwestern Art Review” and “The Left Front: Radical Art in the ‘Red Decade.’”
The Eskenazi Museum is preparing for its fall reopening after closing in May 2017 for renovations. Reichert is joining the staff as the changes near completion.
“As our reimagined museum prepares for reopening, we understand the important role that contemporary art can play in connecting people with art,” said David Brenneman, director of the Eskenazi Museum, in the release. “This new curatorial area illustrates our commitment to advancing our mission of being a leader among university teaching museums, and Elliot will help us expand our reach.”
Reichert received a bachelor's in art history from Northwestern and two master's degrees, one in arts administration and policy and another in modern and contemporary art history, from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
“I am thrilled to join the team of the Eskenazi Museum of Art at the beginning of this exciting chapter in its long history,” Reichert said in a release. “Under the leadership of David Brenneman, I will fulfill our mission as a teaching museum by bringing a diverse array of contemporary art and artists to IU. I strongly believe that engaging with contemporary art is a crucial component of a complete and meaningful education.”
