Curatorial: Painting and Sculpture Intern

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the United States and a thriving cultural center for the Bay Area. We cannot imagine life without art; it inspires and connects us every day. Now more than ever, these connections matter and are aligned with our values.

Inclusive: We strive to be a museum of many voices in dialogue.  

Passionate: We believe working with art is more than a job or trusteeship - it's a way of life.  

Brave: We are committed to approaching our work with courage and a sense of adventure, always ready to explore new perspectives.

Empathic: We aim to act like a person, not an institution. 

SFMOMA is a place for the infinitely curious to explore, support, and experience the art of our time. We believe that modern and contemporary art can influence the way we think, view the world, and embrace the many voices and perspectives around us. We aspire to foster an environment that elicits joy, nurtures a sense of belonging and purpose—where difference is seen as a strength, and every one is appreciated for their whole self.

SCHEDULE: Full Time, 35 hours/week, June 16 - August 15, 2025, approximately 3 days working onsite

DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTION

A cornerstone of SFMOMA’s identity since we first opened in 1935, the department of Painting and Sculpture consistently engages with the art and artists of our time. Whether by supporting artists at early stages of their careers, as founding director Grace McCann Morley did when she presented the first solo museum exhibitions for Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Arshile Gorky, or by organizing major retrospectives and thematic exhibitions, we are committed to fostering new ideas and approaches to modern and contemporary art. Our collection features art created between 1900 and the present, and highlights the work of numerous individual artists in depth. Purposefully wide-ranging in scope, areas of concentration include Fauvism, Cubism, and Surrealism in France; Modernism in the United States and Latin America; American Abstract Expressionism, Minimalism and Pop art; postwar German art; and contemporary art from around the globe. As the first museum on the West Coast dedicated to modern and contemporary art, a large part of our collection focuses on artists from California, and particularly the Bay Area. Numbering more than eight thousand works, our holdings include paintings, sculptures, and works on paper, yet often expand beyond these categories to follow artists and their interests.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

In close collaboration with curators in the Painting and Sculpture department the intern will concentrate on object-centered research into the Fisher Collection and the museum’s permanent collection in preparation for gallery presentations. Among other projects, the intern will assist in preparations for a major reinstallation of the Fisher Collection galleries to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Fisher Collection at SFMOMA in 2026.

PROJECT PLAN

· Concentrated research on individual objects and artists in the Fisher Collection and Painting and Sculpture permanent collection that will be featured in upcoming gallery presentations and/or on SFMOMA’s website

· Compilation of research folders, bibliographic materials, existing texts, and frame research

· Assist in writing in-gallery and online interpretive materials as appropriate

· Participate in occasional gallery installations and exhibition planning meetings

· Correspondence with artists, estates, galleries, and archivists as needed  

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

Exposure to various aspects of organizing permanent collection exhibitions, such as conducting research, compiling checklists, writing interpretive materials, and collaborating with departments across the museum

ADDITIONAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAMMING

The Summer 2025 Internship will offer 9 weeks of hands-on experience and mentorship along with weekly presentations and discussions with various departments in the museum, off-site educational visits within the Bay Area community, and access to various tours and events within the museum.

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS

· College student majoring in art history, or M.A. or Ph.D student in an art history program

· Ability to carry out independent and rigorous library and archival research

· Familiarity with histories of 20th century art

· Excellent writing abilities

**Current SFMOMA employees are not eligible to apply for the Summer 2025 internship.**

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

· Completed application via SFMOMA's job site

· Resume

· Cover letter stating the specific internship of interest. Describe the experience you bring, why you are interested in museum or nonprofit work, reasons for applying to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and your goals for the internship.

· Two letters of recommendation from either a college professor or former employer.

· College transcript: Transcripts can be unofficial but need to be legible.

Application Deadline: March 14, 2025

You do not need separate letters of recommendation for each intern application - please just let each of the recommenders know which internships (up to 3) you're applying to and we'll review those two letters across all of your internship applications.

Location: San Francisco, 151 3rd Street. 

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. 

SFMOMA is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. No person shall be discriminated against based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, genetic information, ancestry/national origin, marital status, disability, medical condition, HIV status, sexual orientation, veteran/military status, and any other category protected by federal of state law.

You may request reasonable accommodation if you are unable to or are limited in your ability to access job postings or provide additional information asked in the job posting.

You can request reasonable accommodation by contacting the People Team at talent@sfmoma.org.