FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 11, 2009
MEDIA CONTACT
Doug Svetnicka
505-827-4378
Mary Kershaw named director of the New Mexico Museum of Art
SANTA FE―A museum professional with more than 20 years experience in British museums has been chosen as the next director of the New Mexico Museum of Art, announced Cultural Affairs Department Secretary Stuart Ashman.
“Mary Kershaw’s many years of successful leadership in museum programming, and especially her ambitious work in collections and exhibitions development, will make her a very effective director for the state’s art museum,” said Ashman.
Kershaw is currently the director of collections for the York Museums Trust in the north of England. The Trust, which includes the York Art Gallery and York St. Mary’s, a venue for contemporary art, is comprised of four public venues, 2.5 million objects and a staff of 120. During her tenure, which began in 2003, visitor numbers for the Trust’s venues have increased from 247,000 to 500,000.
Kershaw also served as assistant curator for the Harrogate Borough Council from 1986 to 1992, and head of museums and arts at the Council, 1992-2003. She holds her Master of Arts degree in Medieval Archaeology from the University College London and bachelor’s degree in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania–Philadelphia.
Kershaw replaces Marsha Bol who left the New Mexico Museum of Art in February 2009 when she moved up to Museum Hill to direct the Museum of International Folk Art. Mary Jebsen, the museum's associate director, has been interim director during the search process. Kershaw will begin her new position at the Museum of Art on January 4, 2010.
“I am honored to be appointed as the next director of the New Mexico Museum of Art,” said Kershaw. “This is an exciting opportunity to work with inspirational collections, and I am very much looking forward to working with the talented staff at the Museum to further develop the collections and to build new connections with the many communities across New Mexico.”
Kershaw was the unanimous choice of a search committee formed by the Museum of New Mexico Board of Regents. Members of the committee included Regents Susan Foote and George Goldstein, as well as Dorothy Bracey and the late Michael O'Shaughnessy. Cultural Affairs Department Deputy Secretary Elena Sweeney was also on the committee.
Built in 1917, the New Mexico Museum of Art is the oldest art museum in the state and is considered a masterpiece of Pueblo Revival architecture. Kershaw will oversee 27 employees, a budget of approximately $1.8 million and a collection of more than 20,000 works of American and European art.
The Department of Cultural Affairs includes, in addition to the New Mexico Museum of Art and the Museum of International Folk Art, the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture and the New Mexico History Museum/Palace of the Governors, also in Santa Fe; the Museum of Natural History & Science and the National Hispanic Cultural Center, both in Albuquerque; the New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo; New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces; and six historic monuments statewide. The department also administers the Office of Archaeological Studies, New Mexico State Library, New Mexico Arts, the Historic Preservation Division and the Center for Museum Resources which includes the Museum of New Mexico Press, Exhibitions, Conservation and Marketing and Outreach.
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