Cisneros Institute Research Fellow for the Study of the Gift | Cisneros Institute

The Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Research Institute for the Study of Art from Latin America is currently accepting applications for a Research Fellow for the Study of the Gift. "The Gift" consist of a group of 262 modern and contemporary works donated by Patricia Phelps de Cisneros, a core selection of modern works renowned for its focus on geometric abstraction, and over 90 works of contemporary art by 48 artists representing 10 Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Through its programs and publications, the Cisneros Institute aims to stimulate, support, and disseminate new research on modern and contemporary art of Latin America and its role as an integral part of global culture. It also seeks to promote the multiple perspectives of artists and scholars from Latin America by engaging in an international dialogue.

Reporting to the Director of the Cisneros Institute, the fellow plays a vital role in research of the Cisneros Gift. The fellow will devote his/her/their time conducting in depth research on a selection of the extraordinary works of modern and contemporary art from Latin America gifted to MoMA by the Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros (CPPC) towards the completion of the Catalogue of the Gift.

A critical component of the Cisneros Gift, the Catalogue of the Gift is an ambitious multi-year project that the Institute has been developing since 2021 and will continue until 2028. It consists of an in-depth study of the works of the Gift, which will be published online, shared through public programs, and will culminate in an academic bilingual publication in print (all of these formats are under evaluation at the moment). The Catalogue of the Gift will seek to surface fresh narratives in the history of modern and contemporary art from Latin America, while highlighting the dialogues between local and international modernisms and tracing moments of connection and disconnection. A primary focus of the project is to establish foundational research on the immediate context of each of the works in the gift.

The Institute was established by The Museum of Modern Art in 2016. As part of The Museum of Modern Art, the Institute is committed to strengthening the Museum’s longstanding commitment with Latin America through rigorous and experimental research into MoMA’s Latin American holdings and meaningful collaborations with artists, art historians, critics, curators, and other cultural institutions.

Job Details

As an integral part of the Cisneros Research Institute team, the Research Fellow will participate in a wide range of curatorial, editorial, and administrative tasks related to the production of the Catalogue of the Gift. While the core objective of the fellowship is to produce high level research on a selection of objects in the Gift, the Fellow will also have the opportunity to participate actively in Cisneros Institute programs and publications. This is a one-year fellowship.

Responsibilities include:

• Researching approximately 40 objects in the Cisneros Gift. The study of these objects will include a revision and completion of media, exhibition history and bibliography; contextualization of the work within the artists’ practice and milieu; identification of themes; and proposed constellations with related works across the collections.
• Coordinating with colleagues across the museum in conservation, art handling, and collections management to facilitate viewings of artworks and updates to Museum records.
• Writing and commissioning corresponding artist intros for moma.org in collaboration with in-house editors.
• Collaborating with the Cisneros Institute team in planning and executing internal and public programming related to the Extended Research theme.

Requirements:

• Master’s degree in art history, cultural studies, and/or a related field in the humanities (or the equivalent in countries outside the United States) with specialized knowledge of modern art in Latin America, or the equivalent level of experience. Phil candidates or PhD students preferred. Independent curators or researchers with strong expertise in the area of focus will also be considered.
• Experience working within an art institution context is preferred; familiarity with The Museum System a plus
• Demonstrated research capabilities
• Knowledge of basic administrative and organizational procedures and skills
• Editorial experience preferred
• Fluency in Spanish or Portuguese preferred
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to work within a process-oriented team
• Fully vaccinated with a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and/or the World Health Organization authorized vaccine (or approved for an exemption as a reasonable accommodation due to a qualified disability or sincerely held religious belief or other legal basis).

Salary: The salary for this position is $58,500.

Application instructions: To apply, please visit MoMA Jobs. Applicants should submit a resume and a statement of interest. There is an application deadline of October 31st. Please submit your applications prior to that date in order to be considered.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement: Equal Employment Opportunity has been, and will continue to be, a fundamental principle at the Museum, where employment is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, marital and civil partnership/union status, alienage or citizenship status, creed, genetic predisposition or carrier status, unemployment status, familial status, domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking victim status, caregiver status, arrest or conviction record to the extent required by applicable law, credit history, or any other protected category as established by applicable law, including the New York City Human Rights Law (“NYCHRL”).