It is an honor to announce the next director of the Brigham Young University Museum of Art: none other than our own Dr. Janalee Emmer! As the first woman to lead the Museum, she will officially begin in her new role on April 26.
Jana has been with us since 2014, when she was hired as one of our curators and the Head of our Education Department. Last year she was appointed Associate Director of Exhibitions & Programming. She holds a PhD in Art History from Pennsylvania State University, as well as Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from BYU, and is an expert in the work of women artists. Her career includes work at distinguished museums and universities including the Getty, the Palmer Museum of Art, Ohio Wesleyan University, the University of Tennessee, and Bucknell University. Here at the MOA, Jana has curated numerous exhibitions, including Embracing Diverse Voices: A Century of African American Art; Patrick Dougherty: Windswept; Danae Mattes: Where the River Widens; A Studio of Her Own: Women Artists from the Collection; and Far Out: The West Re-Seen, Photography of Victoria Sambunaris (on view until May 1). She has championed campus outreach by increasing the number and frequency of MOA educational programs, and she recently addressed the University as part of its weekly, campus-wide devotional series, wherein she discussed the transformative power of art. “I am incredibly honored to be stepping into this new leadership role at the Museum,” Jana said. “The BYU Museum of Art has a rich history of exhibitions and programming, and tremendous potential for the future with our dedicated staff, donors, and visitors.” Read the full article by Riley Lewis at moa.byu.edu.