SAN DIEGO, Calif. (January 2023) – The San Diego Museum of Art welcomes Rachel Jans as Associate Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art beginning December 1. Jans will curate exhibitions, advise on acquisitions, and conduct research for all modern and contemporary art at the Museum. With more than 10 years of experience, she joins the institution from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art where she served as Assistant Curator of Painting and Sculpture.
“We are thrilled to welcome Rachel to The San Diego Museum of Art and believe that she will play a critical role in continuing to provide visitors with a cultural and thought-provoking experience at the Museum,” said Roxana Velásquez, Maruja Baldwin Executive Director and CEO at The San Diego Museum of Art. “Her extensive experience in German Expressionism and Art of the Americas will be a great complement to the collection and our curatorial team.”
In her previous role at The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Jans contributed to the museum’s outdoor sculpture program and artist commissions and worked closely with the collection of American and German art. Organizing numerous exhibitions, significant projects included New Work: Nevin Aladağ, Lineage: Paul Klee and Ruth Asawa; Rebecca Horn; and Nam June Paik: In Character, among others.
Jans has lectured at institutions around the world including the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and the Tate Modern, London. She has contributed essays to major catalogues produced by SFMOMA; Tate Modern; MoMA; The Block Museum of Art, Northwestern University; and Museum Villa Stuck, Munich.
“It’s an honor to have the opportunity to bring my passion for the arts to one of the region’s largest and most-visited institutions,” said Jans. “I look forward to continuing to explore the ways contemporary artists draw on the past to challenge the present in my work at The San Diego Museum of Art.”
Originally from Portland, Oregon, Jans has lived and worked in New York and Berlin, and holds a doctorate in art history from the University of Chicago where her research was supported by numerous awards including a Fulbright Fellowship, the Berlin Program for Advanced German and European Studies at the Freie Universität, and a Whiting Dissertation Fellowship.
About The San Diego Museum of Art
Providing a rich and diverse cultural experience, The San Diego Museum of Art houses some of the world’s finest art. Located in the heart of Balboa Park, the Museum’s internationally renowned collection of more than 22,000 works–dating from 3000 BC to present day–includes Spanish and Italian old masters, South Asian paintings including the Edwin Binney 3rd Collection, East Asian art, American art, Latin American art, Photography, and Modern and Contemporary paintings and sculptures. The Museum regularly features major exhibitions of art from around the world, as well as an extensive year-round schedule supporting cultural and educational programs for children and adults. It hosts engaging experiences that invite visitors to explore art through music, dance, film, food, and so much more. The Museum also offers Virtual SDMA, a variety of online experiences, including the SDMA app, Masterpiece Minute podcast, and virtual performances in collaboration with other local arts institutions. At The San Diego Museum of Art, exhibition text is always in English and Spanish.
The San Diego Museum of Art is located at 1450 El Prado in Balboa Park, San Diego, Calif., 92101. General Information, (619) 232-7931, Group Sales: (619) 696-1935, Website: http://www.SDMArt.org Twitter: @SDMA, Instagram: @SanDiegoMuseumofArt Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSanDiegoMuseumOfArt.
