Senior Preparator

Description

Department: Registration / Exhibitions

Reports to: Head Registrar for Collection and Exhibitions

Position: Exempt, full-time with benefits

Compensation: $70,000 - $80,000 depending on experience

This is an onsite, Boston-based position. Local candidates strongly preferred.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Core Values

Isabella Stewart Gardner believed that art had the power to change lives and she built a beautiful, personal, and immersive Museum setting to do so. Today the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (ISGM) is a living embodiment of her bold vision; a dynamic place where ideas and creativity in all its forms inspire visitors. Through exhibitions, music, programs, and performances we strive to tell new stories and challenge assumptions engaging diverse voices and community members.

Our Core Values are:

• Creativity is our Legacy
• Community is our Purpose
• The Collection is our Catalyst
• Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion are our Commitments 

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum seeks to connect past with present, develop and sustain mutually beneficial partnerships with our local communities and artists, expand and diversify our audiences, and generate opportunities for creativity. We are firmly committed to creating both an inclusive work culture and a welcoming visitor experience. Our five-year strategic plan outlines the Museum’s core values, goals, and initiatives that serve as a renewal of Isabella's promise for the Museum to be a place for “the education and enjoyment of the public forever.”

Position Summary

The Senior Preparator is a lead team-member that supports the dynamic, award-winning Exhibition program by participating in the planning and execution of six shows per year. The incumbent is an integral part of the exhibition planning team and is a thought-partner for the planning, feasibility assessment, and implementation of exhibition design, installations, and deinstallations. The position is primarily dedicated to Exhibitions, but is also responsible for supporting selected permanent collection needs including conservation work, collection photography, scholarly research, and gallery refurbishments in the historic galleries, in collaboration with the Conservation and Collections teams. In this regard, the Senior Preparator will function as a lead advisor and strategic planner with colleagues on these teams in order to support collection risk management and safe object movement, in addition to performing object moves. The Senior Preparator oversees the daily work of freelance art handlers and contractors with direction from the Head Registrar. Additionally, the Senior Preparator supports the Head Registrar with oversight and preparation of art shipments, general loans and exhibitions needs, and is responsible for maintaining the cache of packing materials and supplies, art move equipment, and art receiving and storage areas.

Primary Responsibilities

Exhibitions and Loans:

• Maintains the highest standard of care and best practices for collection and loaned works with regard to object handling, documentation, storage, display and art packing for shipment. Continually engages in acquiring knowledge of updated standards and methodologies for same, and works to share and implement these at ISGM.
• With direction from the Head Registrar, manages all art handling activities related to the installation and deinstallation of museum special, traveling, and permanent exhibitions including assistance with art shipments; packing and unpacking materials; object handling; and installation/deinstallation of objects for display.
• Independently manages a varied portfolio of assigned exhibitions and special projects at various stages of development in support of ISGM’s Exhibition and Loan program and overall strategic goals.
• Primary manager for selected vendor relationships and contractors/consultants for exhibition needs, and makes orders (fabrication, mounts, supplies, materials) as required. Maintains the museum inventory of necessary supplies and equipment for art handling, packing, etc. and the on-site materials storage area.
• Maintains ISGM inventory and supply of exhibition furniture, mounts, and display materials including documentation and storage of same.
• With the Collection Care Associate, conducts regular inspections of exhibition installations and performs/coordinates the maintenance and cleaning of exhibition works, display elements and exhibit galleries.
• Works independently and in a leadership role overseeing art handlers and freelancers, setting and making recommendations for workflow and priorities within overall assigned projects with direction from Exhibitions team and Head Registrar.
• Works professionally with couriers from lending institutions for the handling and display of loaned works for exhibition, under the direction of the Head Registrar. 
• Travels as ISGM courier to accompany works for loan as required.
• Other duties as assigned by Head Registrar in support of Exhibition and Loan work.

Collections and Conservation Work:

• As the senior art handler at ISGM, works closely with Collections and Conservation teams in support of object preparation needs for historic gallery restoration projects, photography of the collection, and general Conservation department support as needed.
• Works collaboratively with, and provides guidance to the Collection Care Associate in support of art preparation best practices related to collection care and historic collection needs.
• Actively engages in the team planning process for implementation of various projects within the historic collection or conservation projects.
• As needed, travels between ISGM and off-site storage area to deliver, store, or collect supplemental holdings items or exhibition furniture to/from the museum. Works with registrars at ISGM to manage off-site storage and activities related to storage area.

Communication and Related Responsibilities:

• Demonstrates a strong sense of personal leadership, accountability, and collegiality in support of core work and team relationships. Acts as a strategic partner providing timely feedback on Exhibition and Conservation/Collections projects.
• Works closely and professionally with a wide variety of personalities, positions and stakeholders both internally and externally including but not limited to Facilities, Security, Collections, Contemporary, Conservation, and Operations teams. 
• Maintains patience, flexibility, adaptability and a collegial relationship in working with living artists for contemporary art installations. Takes direction from artists during the installation process while keeping within standard museum procedures for best practices and timelines for project deliverables.
• Meets deadlines and deliverables according to schedule with an appropriate sense of urgency. Communicates effectively with Head Registrar and Exhibitions team when project deadlines are challenged or affected.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree in Art History, Museum Studies, Studio Art, or a related field; or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in art handling, packing, and exhibition development, installation, and deinstallation in a museum environment.
• A working, broad knowledge of museum best practices and standards for collection handling and care, installation and deinstallation of artwork, art packing, and preventive conservation, including specialized knowledge in the use of tools and equipment used for art movement, installation, shipping, and packing.
• Experienced with a broad range of object types, both historic and contemporary such as paintings, sculpture, architectural elements, objects, textiles, furniture, works on paper, mixed media, digital artwork, a/v equipment, projection, new media and contemporary art installation of site-specific and performance artwork.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in finish carpentry. Highly proficient with standard workshop tools and possesses an excellent level of carpentry skills for fabrication of exhibition display elements, art move equipment, packing materials or crates, and special project builds as needed. Experience with matting, framing of 2-D works is also helpful. Experienced with the best practices for painting and prepping of museum display mounts/pedestals necessary.
• Experience with mount-making, matting, framing, and re-housing of 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional collection objects using a variety of materials. 
• Proficiency with art moving and lift equipment, including but not limited to staging, dollies, a-frames, painting carts, furniture lifts/dollies, rigging equipment, j-bars, pallet jacks, forklifts and scissor lifts. 
• Must be able to problem-solve and develop safe solutions for complex art moves, display, or packing issues, and to an array of operational or other challenges.
• Able to work independently and in a team-setting with a high level of organization and attention to detail. 
• A high level of personal accountability for work, including prioritization of projects and meeting deadlines in support of the Museum’s strategic goals.
• Excellent communication skills (written, verbal, and auditory), as well as strong listening skills. Ability to communicate effectively, clearly, and frequently in support of assigned work. Must be able to work flexibly and creatively, adapting to the needs, communication styles, and personalities of a wide range of stakeholders internally and externally.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality for limited-access information related to art shipping and storage, as well as other sensitive information.
• Some work may take place during off-hours. Ability to work a flexible schedule as required.
• Ability to travel as required.
• Massachusetts driver’s license required.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift, bend, reach and stand for extended periods of time. Comfortable stooping, pushing, and pulling while working.
• Must be able to reach and work above shoulders, climb up and down and work on ladders, scaffolding, and/or a scissor lift up to a height up to 36 feet.
• Must be able to lift heavy objects up to 80 pounds comfortably.

COVID-19 Protocols

All employees of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum are required to provide their COVID-19 vaccination status. If you are not vaccinated, they will need to participate in an interactive process to request a religious or medical accommodation and to submit weekly test results, in addition to following other federal, state, and CDC recommendations.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion (DEAI) is one of the core values we hold close to our business practices. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is committed to affording equal opportunities to qualified individuals regardless of race, color, gender, gender identity, genetics, military/veteran status, pregnancy, religion, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, or any other basis prohibited by applicable laws.

Request an Accommodation

Applicants with disabilities who are unable to fully access ISGM's online application system may contact us at hr@isgm.org for assistance with a reasonable accommodation.

Salary : $70,000 - $80,000