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Download a .pdf of the Job Description Chinati Foundation Director Search [Dr. Marianne Stockebrand, who was appointed Director of The Chinati Foundation by its founder, Donald Judd, in 1993, and who has been responsible for its extraordinary development since the artist's death in the following year, has announced her intention to retire as soon as a successor can be found. The Board of Directors of the foundation has accepted this decision, and Dr. Stockebrand, who will continue to reside in Marfa, Texas, will assume the title of Director Emeritus.] Background The Chinati Foundation is an art museum based on the ideas of its founder, artist Donald Judd. It is located primarily at the site of former US Army Fort D.A. Russell, on the outskirts of Marfa, Texas, where renovation and installation at the rededicated site began in 1979, with initial funding from the Dia Art Foundation. Chinati opened to the public in 1986 as an independent, non-profit, publicly funded institution. Marfa, the seat of Presidio County, is located 200 miles southeast of El Paso, 60 miles from the Mexican border, close to Big Bend National Park and the Davis Mountains. Judd's specific intention was to create permanent installations of contemporary art, insulated from the visual and programmatic distractions of most art museums. He sought a unified experience in which art, architecture and the surrounding natural environment would be inextricably linked. The remote location he chose, requiring a serious commitment on the part of all those who choose to visit it, rewards the effort and reinforces the impact of some of the late 20th century's most extraordinary works of art. The museum, which has a total of 32 buildings, is situated on 340 acres of land in the high Chihuahuan desert, 4,685 feet above sea level. Permanent installations consist of 15 monumental outdoor concrete works by Donald Judd; 100 aluminum works by Judd housed in two converted artillery sheds; a building in downtown Marfa with 23 sculptures by John Chamberlain; six former army barracks together comprising one large-scale work in colored fluorescent light by Dan Flavin; Monument to the Last Horse, an outdoor sculpture by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen; an installation by Ilya Kabakov entitled School #6; an installation of poems by Carl Andre; a building devoted to the paintings of John Wesley; and a space with drawings and paintings by Icelandic artist Ingólfur Arnarsson. There is also work on view by Roni Horn, Richard Long, and David Rabinowitch. The Chinati Foundation organizes special exhibitions, which have usually remained on view for 6-10 months, and have been either focused on aspects of the work of artists represented in the permanent collection (i.e. the foam sculptures by John Chamberlain, Claes Oldenburg's working drawings) or have featured the work of a diverse group of artists linked to Judd's interests and enthusiasms. These have included, among others, Josef Albers, Hendrik Goltzius, El Lissitzky, Piet Mondriaan, Ken Price, Jan Schoonhoven, Fred Sandback, and Robert Irwin. The museum also sponsors related arts and education programs, including artists' residencies, college and university internships, children's art classes, international symposia (the proceedings of which are published), seminars, performances, concerts and other annual celebrations -- setting a standard for artistic excellence while continuing to attract visitors to Marfa, deepening their appreciation of contemporary art. The museum publishes an award-winning annual newsletter which chronicles its activities and has become one of the most respected publications of its kind in America. Chinati has a long-range plan that affirms its commitment to preserving its installations and buildings, and expanding the collection according to Donald Judd's vision. The operation of the museum is supported by earned and contributed income, including the proceeds of a small but growing endowment currently valued at approximately $9.25 million. It is governed by a Board of Directors currently consisting of 17 voting directors. The Position The Director of The Chinati Foundation is expected to be an art historian of proven accomplishment, as well as an inspiring leader who will maintain the clear curatorial vision and uncompromising standards that have traditionally characterized the institution. No less important, he or she must also provide the fundraising and management expertise to ensure that the museum, which currently has an annual operating budget of approximately $1.8 million, advances and maintains its fiscal stability. The Director will continue to shape the realization of Donald Judd's vision for the museum moving forward and, to this end, will need to initiate a new 10-year strategic plan that encompasses both the maintenance of the museum's physical facility as well as the development of its programs, staffing, and endowment in order to guarantee the long-term viability of its operations and the fulfillment of its mission. While needing to travel to promote Chinati's interests beyond its remote locale, it is important that the director become a civic leader and active participant in Marfa's thriving culture. It is further expected that the director demonstrate seasoned ability to function in the following areas: Management, Fundraising, and Financial Administration
Artistic and Educational Programs
Board Relations and Governance
Candidates It has only been due to the talent, resourcefulness, and commitment of its founder and its current staff that the Chinati Foundation has been able to achieve a distinction and renown quite normally incommensurate with a budget as small as that which has sustained it. In that regard, the institution has been something of an example to other museums and a beacon for its loyal constituency, which repeatedly makes the pilgrimage to Marfa that Donald Judd originally envisioned. Thus, going forward, the Board is seeking to identify candidates for the directorship who will exemplify the clear vision and standards of its founder and its first director. Much as it is in any museum today, effectiveness as a fundraiser will be a necessary skill for the successful performance of this job, and Chinati's next director should be able to capitalize on the international reputation of its collections and programs to augment its level of contributed income. Candidates should be art historians with a respected record of thought and curatorial accomplishment in the field of art since the 1960s. It is also essential that they have administrative ability and experience, excellent communication skills (both when speaking and when writing), tact, and a sense of ease and comfort with authority. Candidates must also have, or develop, the international contacts necessary to maintain Chinati's position among its peer institutions. The Chinati Foundation is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Director Search Committee William B. Jordan, Chairman Nominations and Applications Nominations and applications will be received until the position is filled. Interested parties should send a letter of introduction, a current curriculum vitae, and contact information for three references to: Dr. William B. Jordan
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