The Portland Art Museum Names Lloyd DeWitt Its Curator of Pre-1930 European & American Art

The Portland Art Museum has announced Lloyd DeWitt will serve as its Richard and Janet Geary Curator of European & American Art Pre-1930, a brand-new role in the museum’s hierarchy that will involve overseeing the reinstallation of its permanent collection following the completion of the Rothko Pavilion in 2025.

“Lloyd’s deep experience as a curator, as a scholar of European art, and as a museum administrator, all made him uniquely qualified to steward our collections and partner with me and the curatorial team as we plan for the museum’s future as an expanded hub for the community to engage and connect through the art,” Brian Ferriso, the museum’s director and chief curator, said in a statement.

DeWitt, a veteran of Virginia’s Chrysler Museum of Art, will begin work at the Portland Art Museum this February. He will be responsible for the care, exhibition and research of up to 2,000 drawings, paintings and sculptures.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the Portland Art Museum in this new expanded role,” DeWitt said. “I believe a curator’s job is to harness the creativity of the whole organization in order to develop impactful exhibitions and programs that will resonate within the Portland community and the broader art world.”

Plans for the Rothko Pavilion have now been in the works for more than half a decade. The $110 million project will ultimately add 95,000 square feet to the museum, connecting its Main and Mark buildings.

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