MoMA Curator's New Role for 100th Anniversary

Ann Temkin, who has served as the chief curator of painting and sculpture at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), will transition to a new advisory role in January. After 18 years leading the department, Temkin will focus on programming for MoMA's upcoming 100th anniversary in 2029. She began her tenure as a curator at MoMA in 2003 and was promoted to chief curator in 2008.

During her leadership, Temkin significantly overhauled the museum's approach to displaying its collection. She moved away from a linear, movement-based narrative, instead intermixing works across departments like painting, sculpture, photography, film, and design. This innovative method was prominently featured in MoMA's 2019 building expansion, presenting a richer, more diverse art historical dialogue.

Temkin's curatorial achievements include major exhibitions such as "Color Chart" (2008), "Picasso Sculpture" (2015), and the highly successful "Judd" (2020). Her retrospective on Marcel Duchamp in 2026 became MoMA's highest-attended exhibition to date. She will advise MoMA's director, Christophe Cherix, as the museum searches for a new painting and sculpture chief.