BRONX, NY.- The Bronx Museum of the Arts has appointed Shamim M. Momin as Director and Chief Curator following a nationwide search by the Board of Trustees, which retained the executive search firm, Isaacson, Miller. Momin will return to New York after over fifteen years and assume her new role in early September 2025 in anticipation of a $42.9 million transformation of the Museum’s South Wing.

Most recently, Momin served as the Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Henry Art Gallery in Seattle, a position she held from 2018-2024, during which time she oversaw major commissions by Gary Simmons, Kelly Akashi, and Diana Al-Hadid. In 2009, Momin co-founded LAND (Los Angeles Nomadic Division), a non-profit public art organization committed to curating site-specific contemporary art projects in Los Angeles and beyond. LAND has since presented over 100 discrete exhibitions and programs with over 300 contemporary artists. Prior to her move to the West Coast, Momin served as Associate Curator of the Whitney Museum of American Art for over a decade, where she co-curated both the 2004 and 2008 Whitney Biennials, in addition to serving as Branch Director and Curator of the former Whitney Museum at Altria, where she commissioned more than 50 new projects by emerging artists.

Joseph Mizzi, Board Chair of The Bronx Museum, commented: The Board welcomes Shamim M. Momin, whose vision, reputation, and decades of experience as a leading voice in the field of contemporary art will be invaluable in her role leading The Bronx Museum of the Arts forward as we begin this new, exciting, and expansive chapter. The Bronx Museum has always been at the forefront of championing under-represented voices, and I am fully confident that Shamim will uphold that legacy and is uniquely qualified to expand and enhance the impact of the Museum and its mission.

Shamim M. Momin, Director and Chief Curator of The Bronx Museum, commented: It is an honor to accept the role of Director and Chief Curator at The Bronx Museum of the Arts, an institution that stands apart in its commitment to both excellence and access in the contemporary art world. With its powerful exhibitions, remarkable permanent collection, and pioneering education programs like the AIM Fellowship and Teen Council, I’m humbled to join an organization that not only champions diverse artists but is deeply embedded in the communities it serves. The Bronx Museum’s commitment to amplifying diverse voices and upholding social justice aligns strongly with my own practice and values, and I look forward to leading this singular museum into its next exciting era with the opening of its world-class renovation in 2026.”

Longtime executive staff members of The Bronx Museum, Deputy Director Shirley Solomon and Chief Advancement Officer Yvonne Garcia, served as Co-Interim Directors during the Board’s search for the next Director. Continued Mizzi:

On behalf of our entire Board, I am immensely grateful to Shirley Solomon and Yvonne Garcia for their longstanding service to The Bronx Museum, as well as for skillfully performing their interim leadership roles. Shirley and Yvonne––working closely with our entire staff––have been instrumental in advancing all of the Museum’s critical initiatives during this leadership transition, including our South Wing capital project, which has been a vision for many years.

Momin’s appointment comes in the lead-up to The Bronx Museum’s planned 2026 opening of a transformative renovation designed by Marvel—an award-winning architecture practice. The project, which officially broke ground a year ago in summer 2024, includes a new multi-story entrance and lobby on the corner of Grand Concourse and 165th Street. The $42.9 million project is supported by public funds––including $42.6 million from the City of New York as well as $300,000 by the State––and is overseen by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) on behalf of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) and The Bronx Museum.

Laurie Cumbo, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner, commented: The arrival of Shamim M. Momin as the new Director and Chief Curator of The Bronx Museum of the Arts marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the institution. Shamim M. Momin’s remarkable career, from having served as Associate Curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art for over a decade to her work with over 300 artists at LAND, reflects her deep commitment to activism and her passion for celebrating diverse identities. Her leadership comes at a pivotal moment for the Museum, particularly as we prepare for the transformation of the South Wing. With Momin’s vision, The Bronx Museum is poised for a new era of growth and expansion.

During this major transformation, the Museum’s North Wing has remained open with a robust offering of exhibitions and public programming. Currently on view through August 17 is the interactive exhibition WORKING KNOWLEDGE: Shared Imaginings, New Futures. Visitors are invited to engage with artist-designed tools and systems that foster community building, cultural exchange, and creative problem-solving to drive positive change at a grassroots level. From September 5, 2025 to January 11, 2026, The Bronx Museum and Visual AIDS will present Ministry: Reverend Joyce McDonald, the first institutional survey of the work of artist Joyce McDonald, who over the past thirty years has produced a vast body of intimately scaled hand-formed ceramic sculptures. Often depicting figures in repose or embrace, McDonald crafts moving testimonies embodying the strength, support, and unconditional love that have sustained her life.

Shamim M. Momin is the newly appointed Director and Chief Curator of The Bronx Museum of the Arts, who joins the Museum following over 20 years of curatorial and leadership experience at some of the nation’s premier institutions. She has served, most recently, as an independent curator and advisor in New York, following her tenure as the Director of Curatorial Affairs and Chief Curator at the Henry Art Gallery (Seattle). In this role from 2018-2024, she oversaw the Curatorial, Collections, Exhibitions, and Programs departments and, as part of the Directors Team, participated in all strategic planning and organizational decision-making. As Chief Curator, Momin organized numerous exhibitions, including the museum-wide group exhibition In Plain Sight, as well as major commissions by Tala Madani, Gary Simmons, Kelly Akashi, Hank Willis Thomas, Donna Huanca, Diana Al-Hadid, and others.

Prior to joining the Henry, Momin was Director, Curator, and Co-founder of LAND (Los Angeles Nomadic Division), a leading nonprofit public art organization committed to curating site- and situation-specific contemporary art projects. In that role from 2008-2018, Momin organized over 100 exhibitions, projects, and programs with more than 300 artists, presented across the U.S. and internationally. Previously, Momin was an Associate Curator of Contemporary Art for twelve years at the Whitney Museum of American Art (New York), where she co-curated the 2004 and 2008 Whitney Biennials and oversaw the Contemporary Projects series, in addition to serving as Director of the Whitney Museum at Altria, an off-site space, where she was responsible for organizing exhibitions and commissioning more than fifty new projects by emerging artists for both solo and thematic presentations.