The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is Canada’s celebrated international museum and houses important collections of art, culture and nature (www.rom.on.ca). ROM is the largest and most attended museum in Canada, attracting more than 1.3 million visitors per year. It has a membership of over 32,000 households and an annual budget of $80 million CAD, and is a world leader in communicating its research and collections to the public. A globally recognized field research institute, home to more than 13 million artworks, cultural objects and natural history specimens, ROM features 40 galleries and exhibition spaces in its original heritage building and its 2007 Michael Lee-Chin Crystal designed by Studio Daniel Libeskind.
ROM seeks an inquisitive and entrepreneurial curator, strong in the soft skills of collaborative and team-based work, and enthusiastic to raise the profile of ROM’s Korean collections and programs for community members, general audiences and research scholars alike.
The successful candidate will be involved in developing and implementing a strategy to build, manage and interpret the collection of Korean Art & Culture, and will lead the interpretation and presentation of ROM’s Korean collections and programs with an eye to inviting in community voices, engaging collectors and research specialists, and spurring further interest in Korean art and culture. In the context of ROM’s Strategic Direction towards a more global, transdisciplinary storytelling model, this curator will champion cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary perspectives that highlight the relevance of Korean art, history and contemporary culture in today’s interconnected world and will bring active peer networks in research and museum circles.
The Korean collection, totaling over 1400 objects and including archaeological materials, antiquities, and works of art, is one of the largest collections of its kind in North America and the best in Canada. The collection showcases the history of Korea in the only gallery of Korean art in Canada. The highlights of the collection include pieces emphasizing the history and development of Korean ceramics from stoneware to porcelain, and Korea's rich history of printing, calligraphy, and painting.
The Korean collection at the ROM is considered equal in quantity and quality to some of the best collections of Korean cultural objects and artworks in Europe and North America. The holdings include historic and cultural materials and works of art, based on eight historical periods: Neolithic, Bronze Age, Three Kingdoms (57BC-668), Unified Silla (668-935), Goryeo (918-1392), Joseon (1392-1910), Japanese occupation (1910-1945), and modern Korea (1945 – present). The selection of ceramics is an important and comprehensive representation, which is hard to find outside Korea. In addition to works on paper, textiles and costumes, wood and lacquer works from the 19th century are also substantial in quality and quantity. The Gisan painting collection features uniquely large-sized and refined works by the artist, not found elsewhere in the world. The painting and calligraphy holdings, including some rare examples from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, are also significant. The permanent gallery dedicated to Korea offers opportunity for permanent collection rotation and small gallery programs.
The successful candidate will enjoy working with donors, collectors, scholars, diverse ROM audiences, including the Korean diaspora community, and global partners, particularly in Korea, with interests in Korean art and culture. They will welcome interactions with many audiences, including families and children.
The successful candidate will be a specialist in their field but interested in broad issues and questions related to Korean art and culture that have relevance in the contemporary world. This position offers an opportunity to expand ROM’s world-class collection and exhibition program into modern and contemporary art and culture, while maintaining its historic strengths.
This is a 5-year contract position, generously supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea.
The application for this job is due on April 28th.
For more information, please see the following link: