Job Title: Director of Conservation
Reports to: Executive Director
Overview
The Chinati Foundation/La Fundación Chinati seeks a dynamic professional to oversee a comprehensive conservation and collections care program for the museum. The position’s central responsibility is the conservation of Chinati’s permanently installed artworks, a holding which primarily consists of objects but also includes paintings, works on paper, large-scale installations, and outdoor sculpture. The museum organizes 2-3 temporary exhibitions per year and the Director of Conservation also provides support and guidance regarding those programs. Applicants with a strong background in objects conservation are encouraged to apply; however, given the wide range of artistic media in question within Chinati’s permanent collection and temporary exhibition programs, there is no predetermined area of specialization to define an ideal candidate.
Donald Judd (1928–1994) established The Chinati Foundation/La Fundación Chinati in 1986 as a site for the permanent installation of large-scale works of art. It was Judd’s goal to bring art, architecture, and landscape together to form a coherent whole, and to allow for a select group of artists to present work according to their own intentions. Today, Chinati carefully maintains these installations as they were conceived and presents them to a broad public. Situated on a 340-acre former military base, Chinati’s campus includes 35 individual buildings, many of which were architecturally adapted by Judd. The museum has approximately 20 full-time and 15 part-time employees, an operating budget of $3.2 million, and an average annual visitation of 25,000.
The Director of Conservation will bring a collaborative, innovative, and hands-on approach to addressing the museum’s collections care needs in line with the unique characteristics of Chinati as an artist-founded, artist-centered institution. For example, the buildings which house Chinati’s art installations are valued because of their history and Judd’s architectural interventions, yet they do not meet the typical standards for museum climate conditions. This provides an opportunity for creative problem solving and innovation to find ways to integrate preventative conservation where possible, while also protecting Donald Judd’s legacy and singular vision for Chinati.
The Director of Conservation reports to the Executive Director and works in close collaboration with several other key colleagues, particularly the Facilities Manager and the Director of Preservation and Planning. This team is collectively responsible for the maintenance of Chinati’s art, buildings, and grounds, which together constitute the core of Judd’s artistic vision for the museum. An open, collaborative nature is therefore essential, and the successful candidate will have strong communication skills and the ability to work easily across those departmental divides.
This need for seamless inter-departmental collaboration and creative problem solving will only increase in the coming years as the museum will undertake a major restoration of Judd’s central artistic creation for Chinati, the Artillery Sheds housing his 100 untitled works in mill aluminum, 1982-1986.
The Director of Conservation also supports and manages a team of two staff members within the Conservation department whose role is to assist the Director of Conservation with the routine maintenance of permanent installations and temporary exhibitions.
Terms:
This is a full-time salaried position based in Marfa, Texas. Regular work hours are 40 hours a week, Monday through Friday. Some weekend, holiday, and evening hours will be required.
Salary range is $80,000-90,000 commensurate with experience. Chinati provides a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans, paid time off and an employer sponsored 403(b) retirement plan. Chinati is a qualified employer for the public service loan forgiveness program.
To Apply:
Email a cover letter and resume to jobs@chinati.org.
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