The Minneapolis Institute of Art's photography department is going through some changes.
The museum has hired a new curator to lead its Department of Photography and New Media. Casey Riley previously worked for the Boston Athenaeum, where she served as assistant curator. A specialist in the history of photography and visual/material culture of the 19th century, Riley has a specialty interest in gender studies. She started her new role on Monday.
"We are delighted to have Dr. Riley join the curatorial team at Mia," institute Director and President Kaywin Feldman said in a statement. "Her particular interest in gender studies and the work of women photographers is a welcome new direction for the department."
Riley replaced Yasufumi Nakamori, who left the museum in August for a prestigious role in Britain with the Tate Modern London. Nakamori will start his new job in early October.
"At Mia, I enjoyed tremendously the freedom to work beyond the boundaries of media and historical and geographical divisions (often found in an encyclopedic art museum) by introducing contemporary photo and video artists to the museum's vast collection," Nakamori said in an e-mail.
"I am so pleased to join the international and diverse curatorial team of Tate Modern, which is engaged in critical methodological experiments for the purposes of expanding and complicating narratives of global modern and contemporary art."
In his two years at the Art Institute, Nakamori brought a wealth of international art stars to Minneapolis, including Israeli video artist Omer Fast, Japanese photographer Naoya Hatakeyama and members of the Ho Chi Minh City-based artist collective the Propeller Group.
Alicia Eler • 612-673-4438 @AliciaEler
