Christine Y. Kim, 2021. Photo: Ye Rin Mok
Tate Modern today announces Christine Y. Kim in the newly created position of Britton Family Curator-at-Large (North American Art). Based in Los Angeles and New York, her role will focus on the development of North American art in Tate’s collection through new research and acquisitions. Kim will start in January 2022.
Since 2009 Kim has been a curator of Contemporary Art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), organising monographic exhibitions such as Julie Mehretu (2019-22), Isaac Julien: Playtime (2019), Diana Thater: The Sympathetic Imagination (2015-16), and James Turrell: A Retrospective (2013-14), along with group and permanent collection exhibitions. Most recently, she curated Black American Portraits (2021-22), covering two centuries of African American portraiture, coinciding with The Obama Portraits Tour (2021-22). During her tenure, Kim has been instrumental in expanding and diversifying LACMA’s collection, exhibitions, and programmes, and in developing new models for equity and inclusion across the institution. She sits on boards of non-profits such as GYOPO, Denniston Hill, Los Angeles Nomadic Division (LAND), and Museums Moving Forward (MMF). Kim is a 2022 Center for Curatorial Leadership (CCL) Fellow.
Before joining LACMA, Kim worked at the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, where she co-curated Freestyle (2001) with Thelma Golden, launching the groundbreaking “F” series of exhibitions. Black Belt (2003) included works of art by African American and Asian American artists such as David Diao, David Hammons, and Arthur Jafa in the context of 1970s popular culture and martial arts. Kim is responsible for putting artists such as Wangechi Mutu, Mickalene Thomas, Kehinde Wiley, and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye in their first US museum exhibitions. Holding an MA from New York University, Gallatin School of Individualized Study in American Studies and Critical Theory, and a BA in Art History and French from Connecticut College, New London, Kim has contributed to multiple publications and guest-curated international exhibitions including The Ends: The Politics of Participation in the Post-Internet Age 2018 at the 12th Gwangju Biennial, South Korea.
As Britton Family Curator-at-Large, Kim will play a significant role in acquiring North American works for the Tate collection. Supported by the Britton Family Foundation, this position will continue to broaden Tate’s approaches to modern and contemporary art, forge new relationships with artists, scholars, and curators in the region, and contribute to curating exhibitions and projects at Tate. Kim will work closely with the Director of Collections (International Art), the Tate Americas Foundation and the North American Acquisitions Committee, as part of Tate’s wider network of specialist Adjunct Curators based in other regions around the world.
Christine Y. Kim said: “After twelve incredible years at LACMA, I am thrilled to bring my expertise in collection-building, focusing on works of art by living artists of colour, to a national and Canadian scope, to share on an expanded, global scale at Tate.”
Gregor Muir, Director of Collections, International Art at Tate said: “Christine is a hugely talented and experienced curator, with a reputation for showcasing the incredible diversity of North American contemporary art. I’m delighted that Christine will be joining the team in this role. As an American living in the United States, Christine will also bring on-the-ground expertise to Tate’s activities in the region.”
Paul Britton Chairman of the Tate Americas Foundation said: “The Britton Family Foundation is pleased to support this new position as a part of its commitment to expanding the voices of North American artists in Tate Collection. Christine Y. Kim brings distinguished experience to Tate and will be an enormous asset in Tate’s charge of being artistically adventurous and culturally inclusive.”