Postdoctoral Teaching-Curatorial Fellowship in Islamic Art or Art of the Ancient Americas
The Department of Art History and Archaeology at Washington University in St. Louis, and the Saint Louis Art Museum seek a specialist in one of two broad fields, either in Islamic Art, or Art of the Ancient Americas, for a joint teaching-curatorial two-year position beginning July 1, 2017 (start date could be moved slightly later). Candidates will be interviewed in both subfields, but only one fellow will be selected from the total pool. The fellow will spend two semesters at Washington University in the Fall of 2017 and Spring of 2019, teaching two courses in each of those semesters. The fellow will spend the twelve-month period of 2018 working full-time at the Saint Louis Art Museum (SLAM) as an A. W. Mellon Fellow, where they will conduct research, and give docent and gallery talks in their area of expertise. It is thus envisioned that the candidate will spend a year in total at each institution over the two-year period. Courses at Washington University, a leading research institution, will be offered to a combination of beginning and advanced undergraduates, and perhaps graduate students, in art history and related fields.
If the successful fellow is a specialist in Islamic Art, she or he will teach an introductory-level course that will broadly address the field of Islamic Art; other classes may focus on traditions of miniature painting, the sacred arts of Islam, or the visual arts of Persia (Safavid) and/or India (Mughal). A course on modern or contemporary art in the Islamic world may be considered. At SLAM, a fellow in Islamic art may catalogue and interpret a collection of 50 works on paper and related objects, primarily from Persia and India in the Safavid and Mughal periods. Scholarly expertise in these areas is highly desired, but other areas will be considered. The fellow will curate the current gallery spaces for Islamic art, work with conservation staff on the collection, and research possible acquisitions.
If the fellow is a specialist in the Ancient Americas, she or he will teach at Washington University an introductory level survey in the broad field of Pre-Columbian art as well as upper-level courses in their specialty. At SLAM, the fellow will conduct research on one of the most comprehensive and distinguished collections of Ancient American art in the United States. The collection is comprised of more than 4,500 artworks, more than half of which are Mesoamerican. Ancient art from North America is represented by selections of Mississippian and Southwest works, and there are singular strengths from the Andes and the Caribbean. Outcomes for a Fellow in this area will be determined in concert with the particular interests, expertise, and skill set of the successful candidate.
Required Qualifications
The applicant should have no more than three years of postdoctoral teaching or curatorial experience in the field at the start of the appointment. Annual salary will be $50,000 a year, plus moving expenses, benefits, and generous research and travel funds.
