Head of Installations/Exhibition Production Manager
The University Gallery at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) is a non-collecting academic museum. Its exhibition program prioritizes curatorial, scholarly, and artistic experimentation, supporting publications and projects of local relevance and international significance. The program connects research and knowledge production, the region and NYUAD’s academic community.
The search committee will consider candidates from either an exhibition design/production background, or a Chief Preparator background. The role will be responsible for a range of related activities. A crucial aspect of the role is to be comfortable leading complex installs with multiple vendors and factors.
The Head of Installations will oversee all aspects of the preparation and installation of fine art for each exhibition, as well as campus wide installations, adhering to museum-standard practices. The duties include highly skilled technical care, handling and installation of art in all media. The areas of installation include the Main Gallery, the Project Space, campus collection installation, and major site-specific commissions.
The position will encompass duties of a preparator, exhibition producer, and liaison with relevant departments, including Facilities, Procurement, Compliance, and EHS (Environmental Health and Safety). The position oversees functioning of fine-art storage and art handling technology within the gallery, in collaboration with the Registrar. In addition, the position will supervise all handling of art in the campus collections, and install or supervise installations the Project Space Gallery in the Art Center and other art installations as needed, such as the annual Christo Award.
The Head of Installations is responsible for generating the exhibition production schedule and budget. Together with the Registrar, the Head of Installations will manage the exhibition production and budget, liaising with the wide range of vendors necessary to each project, and work closely with the Curators on the overall exhibition plans. They will supervise the design, fabrication, construction, and installation of all aspects of exhibitions, including preparation of gallery space for exhibitions; and preparation of objects to be exhibited. The Head of Installations’ art handling and installation expertise will allow for safe and timely presentation of exhibitions and care of fine art collections on the NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery, conforming to industry best-practice standards for risk management.
Key Responsibilities Design and physical production of exhibitions in Main Gallery
Collaborate with the curators to produce a design plan for each exhibition, and create the timeline and production budget
Execute the plan, from hiring vendors and coordinating shipment schedules with the Registrar to preparing the gallery space technical build-out, preparing the art itself, and managing the art installation, lighting and presentation, followed by de-installation and return of the exhibition
Ultimately responsible for the safe handling of the art, including unpacking, installing, de-installing, relocating, and repacking work
Campus collections
Responsible for install, upkeep and handling of art in gallery collection, campus collection, or work on loan to the university
Manage any moves of work, address any technical needs related to the storage, or presentation of the work
Supervise upkeep and address any issues with work on display or in storage, in collaboration with Registrar
Design and implement collection storage plan, in collaboration with Registrar
Campus Exhibitions and Installations
Manage all exhibitions in campus Project Space Gallery in Art Center
Support art installations as needed elsewhere on campus
Education Requirements
Essential
College degree in, or related to, fine art or museum practices, or equivalent
Experience Requirements
Essential
Minimum of 5 years relevant experience or equivalent combination of education and experience
Sophisticated, technical understanding of art handling, exhibition design, and museum industry best-practices as they pertain to fine art and material culture from contemporary and historical periods
Ability to work effectively with mixed teams of consultants, technicians, and artists, under tight deadlines
Excellent written and verbal communication skills; highly organized and capable of managing multiple tasks; creative and highly detail-oriented; demonstrated ability to interact with multiple constituencies, including internal and external to NYU and NYUAD
Desirable
Experience working in museums
Experience with art exhibition projects in the Gulf
About the Art Gallery at NYUAD
The NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery presents curated exhibitions of art and culture across historical and contemporary topics, with a special emphasis on subjects of both regional concern and international significance. Its curatorial platform supports scholarly and experimental installations, artists’ projects, guest curators, and landmark exhibitions. Details of the exhibition program can be found on: https://www.nyuad-artgallery.org/
About NYUAD
NYU Abu Dhabi is a degree-granting research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and science undergraduate program in the Arts, Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Engineering. NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU New York, and NYU Shanghai, form the backbone of NYU’s global network university, an interconnected network of portal campuses and academic centers across six continents that enable seamless international mobility of students and faculty in their pursuit of academic and scholarly activity. This global university represents a transformative shift in higher education, one in which the intellectual and creative endeavors of academia are shaped and examined through an international and multicultural perspective. As a major intellectual hub at the crossroads of the Arab world, NYUAD serves as a center for scholarly thought, advanced research, knowledge creation, and sharing, through its academic, research, and creative activities.
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