SEATTLE, WA.- The Saint Louis Art Museum is pleased to announce the appointment of Philip C. Atkinson as Exhibition and Installation Designer.

Atkinson was previously a lighting and exhibition designer with George Sexton Associates in Washington, D.C. where he recently returned from a four-year post in the firm's office in the United Kingdom. Atkinson brings 20 years of design experience, including work with a broad range of curators, artists, architects and museums. He will join the Museum February 2, 2009.

During his eight years with George Sexton Associates, Atkinson played a lead role in the complete renovation and installation of the permanent collection at The Sainsbury Centre of Visual Arts in Norwich, England. He also designed a major exhibition of rarely displayed Pacific works for the Museum's grand opening and a large selection of temporary installation designs for the museum.

Prior exhibition work includes design, lighting and installation programming for the Peabody Essex Museum's permanent collection in Salem, Mass.; and temporary exhibitions for The Dulwich Picture Gallery in Dulwich, England, including the early sculptural work and drawings of Henry Moore.

As a lighting designer, Atkinson has worked on projects in a variety of locations, including the Michael Werner Gallery in London; the Tag Heuer Museum in La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland; Louis Vuitton in Paris; the Baltimore Basilica; and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

"Mr. Atkinson's expertise in lighting and exhibition design will be a great asset to the Museum," said Linda Thomas, assistant director for exhibitions and collections at the Saint Louis Art Museum. "He will help us continue to create innovative and original interpretations of the works of art on display."

Originally from the Midwest, Atkinson attended the University of Kansas where he received a bachelor's in Industrial Design.