NEW YORK, NY.- The Whitney Museum of American Art has announced the appointment of Christopher Y. Lew as associate curator. Mr. Lew will begin working at the Museum this summer.

Mr. Lew comes to the Whitney from MoMA PS 1, where he has held the position of assistant curator since January 2011; he began there as a curatorial assistant in January 2006 and was manager of curatorial affairs from October 2007 to January 2011. At MoMA PS 1, he introduced many emerging artists to museum audiences, especially through group shows such as New Pictures of Common Objects (2012) and Taster's Choice (2014). Among the many notable solo shows he curated there are Clifford Owens: Anthology, GCC: Achievements in Retrospective (currently on view), and Jack Smith: Normal Love (recipient of a 2013 AICA award).

Donna De Salvo, the Whitney’s Chief Curator and Deputy Director for Programs, remarked: “We are delighted to welcome Chris Lew as we prepare to move to our new home downtown in the spring of 2015. His close relationship to artists locally and across the U.S., paired with his strong international perspective, will be a great asset to the Museum and its audiences at this important transformative moment for the Whitney.”

Other exhibitions curated by Mr. Lew at MoMA PS 1 include James Ferraro: 100% (2014), Gavin Kenyon: Reliquary Void (2014), CONFETTISYSTEM: 100 Arrangements (2013), Zackary Drucker: At Least You Know You Exist (2012), Darren Bader: Images (co-organized by Peter Eleey) (2012), Chim↑Pom (2011), Surasi Kusolwong (2011), and Nancy Grossman: Heads (co-organized by Klaus Biesenbach) (2011).

Scott Rothkopf, the Whitney’s Nancy and Steve Crown Family Curator and Associate Director of Programs, commented: “Since its founding, the Whitney has played a crucial role in galvanizing the conversation around new artists and challenging ideas. Chris's adventurous and discerning eye has established him as a leading advocate of emerging artists, and we look forward to his contributions to the Whitney's contemporary program.”

Mr. Lew served as visiting curator at the Maryland Institute College of Art, Rinehart School of Sculpture, 2013. He has appeared on panels such as Curating Performance: The New Wave, NY Live Arts, 2013, and Greater New York 2010 Artists Present, MoMA, 2010 (moderator). Prior to joining MoMA PS 1, he held positions at Art AsiaPacific magazine and Aperture Foundation. He has a B.A. from New York University (2003).

Mr. Lew commented: “The Whitney is enjoying an exciting time of growth and I am thrilled and honored to join the Museum as it prepares to return downtown. I look forward to being part of such a renowned institution, to working with the Whitney's esteemed staff, and to continuing to engage with artists who have helped to shape and define art in the United States and beyond.”