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Curator Kate Kraczon Arrives at the Montclair Art Museum Ready to Get Radical

"Coming in as a new chief curator to a museum is a moment to think radically about how your exhibition program can live within an already thriving institutional ecosystem."

Next week, Kate Kraczon begins her new job as chief curator of the Montclair Art Museum. Founded in 1914, the New Jersey institution was among the first in the country to organize itself around American art, an area of study that now affords many opportunities. Kraczon, who arrives from the David Winton Bell Gallery at Brown University, takes over a post held since 1994 by Gail Stavitsky, and joins incoming director Todd Caissie at a moment of big transition for the museum. We caught up with her to hear about her plans for the next chapter.

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Congratulations on the new job. What excited you most about this role when you first heard about it?

Beyond its incredible collection and exhibition history, MAM has a devoted audience and is a leader in accessibility and education programming. I was also intrigued by the unique history of the Montclair Art Museum School of Art (Yard School of Art), which merged with MAM in 1999, and how that can be a provocation for both curators and artists.

You’re succeeding Gail Stavitsky, who held the chief curator post since 1994. What’s it like stepping into a role someone shaped for three decades?

Gail shaped a strong collection and exhibition history that I hope to build on, a program and acquisition strategy that is inspired by and honors that history. I have always loved the idea of revisiting thematic........

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