Artdaily_ Today, the Norton Museum of Art announced that it has appointed Arden Sherman to the role of Glenn W. & Cornelia T. Bailey Senior Curator of Contemporary Art. Sherman will be responsible for overseeing the Museum’s Department of Contemporary Art, including the organization of temporary exhibition programming as well as the ongoing research and expansion of the permanent collection through new acquisitions. She will also lead the Norton’s Contemporary and Modern Art Council, whose members provide critical support for the Museum’s Contemporary Art initiatives and acquisition efforts. Sherman assumes her position on November 14, 2022. She currently serves as Director & Curator of Hunter East Harlem Gallery, a multi-disciplinary space for art exhibitions and socially-minded projects located at Hunter College in New York City.

“We are thrilled to welcome Arden Sherman to the Norton as she steps into this key leadership position within the Museum, and works to oversee and shape the future of our continuously evolving permanent Contemporary Art Collection,” said Ghislain d’Humières, Kenneth C. Griffin Director and CEO of the Norton Museum of Art. “She also brings to the Norton a community-centered approach and past experience in curating timely exhibitions focused on pressing social issues. This is an exciting moment for contemporary art at the Norton, as we continue strengthening the global nature of our collection and the diversity of perspectives featured in our programming, and we look forward to Arden bringing her deep experience to the Museum.”

Sherman specializes in socially-engaged art, community engagement, and photography, and has curated and organized dozens of exhibitions, projects, and programs. During her tenure at Hunter East Harlem Gallery, she has organized Dust Specks on the Sea: Contemporary Sculpture from the French Caribbean & Haiti (2018-2024), THE EXTRAORDINARY: An exhibition about the O-1 Artist Visa (2019-2020), Spots, Dots, Pips, Tiles: An Exhibition about Dominoes (2017), Futurefarmers: Arrange, Selected Projects from 23 Years of Work (2017-2018). She is co-editor of the newly published book, 125th Street: Photography in Harlem (Hirmer Verlag 2022).

Sherman has previously held positions in a variety of non-profit and university settings, including Creative Time, Loyola Marymount University’s gallery, and Pratt Institute. She earned her master's degree in Curatorial Practice from California College of the Arts in 2010 and her bachelor’s degrees in Latin American & Caribbean Studies and Studio Art from the College of Charleston in Charleston, SC.

“I am delighted to join the Norton Museum at this time of growth and to have the opportunity to collaborate with the talented staff on our shared vision for what an art museum in the United States can be today,” said Sherman. “I am excited to work with the museum’s collection and build upon the existing roster of influential international contemporary artists. As a native Floridian, I look forward to creating new exhibitions and programs at the Norton and continue to make art accessible and relevant to the region.”

The Norton’s Department of Contemporary Art was established in 2009 with the appointment of the inaugural Curator of Contemporary Art. The collection reflects the provocative ideas, materials, and processes explored by international artists today, and includes works by Phyllida Barlow, Nick Cave, Teresita Fernández, Dan Flavin, Nijedeka Akunyili Crosby, and Jenny Saville, among others. In addition to its permanent collection, the Norton also features a robust program of special exhibitions focused on contemporary art. Current and recent highlights include The Howard and Judie Ganek Collection (through September 18, 2022), A Remarkable Gathering: The Fisher Landau Collection (2022), Jose Alvarez (D.O.P.A.): The Krome Drawings (2021). The Department also presents an annual series of temporary exhibitions, Recognition of Art by Women (RAW), which promotes the work of living female artists. Past iterations have featured work by María Berrío and Nina Chanel Abney.