NEW YORK.- The New Museum of Contemporary Art announced the appointment of Trevor Smith as Curator. Smith was previously at the Art Gallery of Western Australia, where he has been the Curator of Contemporary Art since 1997. At the New Museum, Smith will develop and produce both group and solo exhibitions for the Museums main galleries and Zenith Media Lounge, act as supervisory editor for accompanying publications, as well as lead the development of a new collecting policy.
Smith will begin his position at the New Museum on May 1, 2003. Lisa Phillips, the Henry Luce III Director of the New Museum, said "We began our search for a new Curator with the understanding that we wanted someone with a global perspective. Trevors experience and curatorial knowledge fit perfectly with the mission of the New Museum. As we look towards our very exciting future, Trevors contribution to our curatorial program will be invaluable."
Smiths previous professional experience includes positions as Director of the Canberra Contemporary Art Space (1994-1997), Site Manager of the Biennale of Sydney (1992-1993), and Curatorial Assistant at the Mackenzie Art Gallery in Regina, Canada (1990-1992). He has curated dozens of exhibitions in Australia, Canada, and abroad, including the Australian representation at the XXV Bienal de So Paulo (2002), The Divine Comedy: Francisco Goya, William Kentridge, Buster Keaton (2002), Robert MacPherson (2001), and home (2000). Developing from the historical and social contexts of South Africa and Western Australia, home proposed a trans-regional conversation among artists from diverse locations such as Cape Town, Cotonou, Igloolik, Johannesburg, Ljubljana, London, New York, Perth, Paris, Singapore, and Vancouver.
Smith has also produced numerous exhibition catalogue essays and has written about art for publications including Art Monthly Australia, Canadian Art, Artlink, World Art, and Parkett.
"As a student the New Museum was a significant model for me in what might be possible for museums to be in the future," said Smith from Australia.
"To be joining the team as the Museum re-assesses its collecting policy and moves toward commissioning a new building is tremendously exciting."
Smith received his B.A. in Art History from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. He has lived and worked in Australia for the past ten years.
As curator of the New Museum, Smith joins an outstanding curatorial team--Dan Cameron, Senior Curator, and Gerardo Mosquera, Adjunct Curator.
