NORFOLK, VA.- The Chrysler Museum of Art welcomes Corey Piper, Ph.D., as the Brock Curator of American Art. An art historian specializing in 19th-century and early 20th-century American art, Piper brings a breadth of curatorial knowledge to the Museum.

“Corey’s knowledge and experience in 19th-century art and culture match so well with the strengths of our collection, including his focus on painting and the natural world. We are so pleased to have him join the Chrysler team,” said Chrysler Museum Director Erik Neil.

Piper holds a doctorate from the University of Virginia, with a dissertation on imagery of hunting in 19th century American art. He holds a master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina. He previously served as a curatorial associate at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) and has held fellowships at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. “We’re delighted to have Dr. Piper join the Chrysler team. He brings substantial expertise in American Art, as well as a unique perspective and willingness to challenge conventional approaches. We very much look forward to great accomplishments with this key part of the Chrysler’s collection,” said Lloyd DeWitt, chief curator of the Chrysler Museum.

Piper eagerly anticipates pairing his academic interests with the Chrysler’s commitment to enrich and transform lives through art. “I look forward to continuing the Chrysler's record of producing engaging and thought-provoking installations and exhibitions. I am interested in opening up the American collection to explore a broader array of perspectives in order to tell a more extensive story of American art and history that resonates with all of the Chrysler's visitors,” Piper said.

Piper’s broad experience includes curatorial work with VMFA, where he worked on a number of exhibitions and gallery installations and served as co-curator for Catching Sight: The World of the British Sporting Print. His scholarship has been published in Panorama: Journal of the Association of Historians of American Art, The Burlington Magazine and The British Art Journal.

“I have long admired the Chrysler's phenomenal collection of American art for both its well-known masterpieces and unexpected gems. So many works in the collection stand as important milestones in the history of American art, and I am thrilled for the opportunity to work closely with these objects and continue to push new discoveries in the collection,” Piper said.