ST. LOUIS, MO.- Paul Ha, Director of the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis has announced the appointment of Dominic Molon as the Contemporary’s Chief Curator. Molon, currently Curator at Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, will begin his appointment on September 27, 2010.

“I am thrilled to have Dominic joining our team at the Contemporary. Dominic’s globally aware vision and critical, intellectual, and professional rigor make him an outstanding addition to the Contemporary’s leadership team,” said Paul Ha. “He is a highly respected and admired leader in the museum community, and he brings tremendous experience and skills to the Contemporary. The Board of Directors and the entire staff is looking forward to working with him to chart the next chapter of an ambitious future for the Contemporary.”

Since August of 2009, Molon served as Acting Head of the Curatorial Department at MCA, Chicago, providing invaluable leadership and managerial experience that he will now be contributing to the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis. In addition to his work at MCA, Molon regularly contributes to various art publications, makes public presentations, lectures widely across the United States, and serves on international advisory committees.

During his tenure at the MCA, Molon curated major thematic survey exhibitions with a broad international and historical scope such as Production Site: The Artist’s Studio Inside-Out (2010) where the exhibition addressed the pivotal role of the studio in artists' practice; and Sympathy for the Devil: Art and Rock and Roll since 1967 (2007). This monumental exhibition was the most serious and comprehensive look at the intimate and inspired relationship between the visual arts and rock-and roll culture to date. He also organized solo exhibitions of such significant contemporary artists such as Liam Gillick (2009), Wolfgang Tillmans (2006), Paul Pfeiffer (2003) coorganized with MIT List Visual Arts Center, Gillian Wearing (2002), and Sharon Lockhart (2001), while coordinating numerous traveling exhibitions including Take your time: Olafur Eliasson, Karen Kilimnik, Kai Althoff: Kai Kein Respekt (Kai No Respect) and Charles Ray. Molon will also oversee Susan Philipsz: We Shall Be All, an exhibition opening at the MCA Chicago in December 2010. Molon holds a Master of Arts in Art History and Criticism from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in History of Art and Architecture from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

As Chief Curator at the Contemporary, Molon will be responsible for overseeing the exhibition and publication programs at the museum, in conjunction with the Director. “The chance to help continue the development of an informed, diverse and engaged community for contemporary art in St. Louis is a very exciting opportunity,” said Molon. “I am also eager to build on the Contemporary Art Museum’s growing reputation for prescient and challenging exhibitions of established, emerging, and under-recognized artists from around the world.”

Molon joins the Contemporary during a time of exceptional growth. Since opening its doors in 2003, the Contemporary has grown to become one of the country’s most important contemporary art museums and is dedicated to exhibiting the visual arts and artists of our time and to producing nationally recognized education programs. Due to its innovative projects and ambitious programming, the Contemporary has become one of the leading voices of contemporary art. The appointment of Molon to Chief Curator will deepen the Contemporary’s impact in the St. Louis community and further fulfill its mission of promoting meaningful engagement with the most relevant and innovative art being made today. The Contemporary has also shown excellent fiscal responsibility and stability by balancing the budget each year since opening its doors in September 2003 and creating a 5 million dollar endowment.