Meet Birmingham Museum of Art’s new Curator of Contemporary Art

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Meet Jade Powers, a fantastic new addition to the Birmingham Museum of Art (BMA) team. With her extensive background in contemporary art, both as a curator and educator, she is ready to bring fresh perspectives to the museum’s contemporary art exhibitions and programs. Keep reading to learn more about Jade and her passion.

Birmingham Museum of Art welcomes Jade Powers

BMA welcomed Jade Powers as its Hugh Kaul Curator of Contemporary Art in September. Her experience at the Harn Museum of Art in Gainesville, Florida, where she previously served as curator of contemporary art since 2022, brought her to BMA where she was mesmerized by the museum’s extensive collection.

“It brings me tremendous pleasure to welcome Jade to our team. Her rich knowledge of global contemporary art combined with her proven track record of meaningful and engaging exhibitions will be an invaluable asset to the museum as we continue to build our flourishing contemporary collection around the community we serve.”

Graham C. Boettcher, R. Hugh Daniel Director, Birmingham Museum of Art

Check out exhibitions coming soon to the museum by following them on Instagram.

Powers curates innovative artwork

Powers made a significant impact during her time at the Harn Museum of Art. Managing the contemporary art department’s activities, including installations, acquisitions and exhibitions, showcased her ability to curate innovative artworks.

She helped acquire 20 gifts and purchases for the contemporary art collection, the majority represented work by female artists and artists of color, demonstrating her commitment to promoting inclusivity and diversity in the museum’s collection.

“I enjoy collecting art that helps to tell more well-rounded global and national stories. Throughout time voices have been left out so I look for artists, both past and present, that work to rectify those narratives.”

Jade Powers, Hugh Kaul Curator of Contemporary Art, Birmingham Museum of Art

Prior to her role at the Harn Museum of Art, Jade Powers served as the assistant curator of contemporary art at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Missouri.

During her time there, she was involved in developing nine permanent collection exhibitions including:

• Deconstructing Marcus Jansen | A show that investigated the stylistic techniques of painter Marcus Jansen and placed him in dialogue with Robert Rauschenberg, William de Kooning, Roy Lichtenstein, James Rosenquist, David Smith, John Steuart Curry, Jim Dine and Romare Bearden.
• The exhibition Abstracted Wonders | The Power of Lines highlighted artistic movements within abstract art and debuted two sketches from Josef Albers’ Structural Constellations series.
• Child’s Play | An Exploration of Adolescence, a show focused on the Freudian concepts that humans can trace their compulsions back to their childhood, and includes works by Nathaniel Donnett, Julie Blackmon and Kojo Griffin.

Powers holds a BA in art history and religious studies from DePauw University and an MA in religious studies from Indiana University.

Coming soon to Birmingham Museum of Art

Visitors at BMA can look forward to engaging exhibitions and educational initiatives under Powers’ curatorship.

“I love contemporary art! That said, there are many definitions of ‘contemporary’ and many avenues to explore when thinking about the history of art both past and present. I am excited by artists that are interested in expanding global narratives.”

Jade Powers, Hugh Kaul Curator of Contemporary Art, Birmingham Museum of Art

Check out upcoming exhibitions + say hello to Jade at the Birmingham Museum of Art

Come engage with the art exhibitions on display now and explore the diverse collection of more than 27,000 paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings and decorative arts. Plus—make sure to say hello to Jade if you see her and give her a warm welcome her to The Magic City.

• Location: 2000 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35203
• Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10AM-5PM | Sunday Noon-5PM
• Cost: General Admission is FREE
• Website | Facebook | Instagram

“I am really excited about living in Birmingham. This city is so vibrant and has such a unique history. I am looking forward to learning more about this city and surrounding areas. I am also looking forward to living in a city with such a lively local artist scene.”

Jade Powers, Hugh Kaul Curator of Contemporary Art, Birmingham Museum of Art

Stay up to date with all things happening at the Birmingham Museum of Art by following them on Instagram and Facebook.

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