Curator Episodes

What happens when you trade a job at Kinko’s for a career as one of the art world’s most provocative curators? In this episode, Ann sits down with the legendary Nato Thompson to explore how he navigates the complex intersections of community, culture, and the "art ecosystem." They dive into his latest mission—The Alternative Art School—where he is dismantling the myth of the solitary genius and building a global, accessible sanctuary for creatives. From the rise and fall of NFT hype to the deepl...

What happens when a rare book library is also a working machine shop? This week, Ann sits down with the formidable Amelia Hugill-Fontanel, Associate Curator at the Cary Graphic Arts Collection at RIT. Amelia isn't just a keeper of history; she’s a "press fixer" who maintains a fleet of functional 19th-century printing presses. We dive into the incredible legacy of Melbert B. Cary Jr., the intersection of historical type and 3D-printing innovation, and the inspiring rise of women in the tradition...

Celebrating her 100th interview in the third series, Ann is in the hotseat and is being interviewed by her friend Stacy Kincaid. The discussion covers the podcast's origins, challenges, and key moments. Ann reflects on her diverse career and shares insights into the technical and creative aspects of podcasting, including her commitment to providing visual references for listeners. The conversation spans personal anecdotes, professional highlights, and future aspirations for the podcast and print...

Ready to be globally inspired? On this episode of Platemark, Ann connects with the visionary Amé Bell, Director of David Krut Projects, who wears the hats of artist, historian, and curator. From the bustling print studios of Johannesburg, Amé brought South African voices to the world stage by curating the 2022 Venice Biennale Pavilion. They dive into the profound journey of collaborating with artists, how digital spaces are rewriting the rules of curating, and even get a peek at Amé's other pass...

In this episode of Platemark, Ann sits down with Angelina Lippert, a poster historian and the curator and director of Poster House, to discuss the inception and growth of the first museum in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to the art and history of posters. They talk about what makes posters and fine art prints the same and different. And they discuss the challenges and processes of acquiring, preserving, and showcasing posters, the historical and cultural significance of early advertising poster...

In this episode of Platemark, Ann talks with Susan Dackerman, a curator and art historian specializing in Northern European print culture. They discuss Susan's recent book, Dürer's Knots: Early European Print and the Islamic East, which looks at the artist's relationship to the Islamic world, revealing groundbreaking insights about the intersection of early modern printmaking and contemporary history. Susan's book covers three of Dürer's prints or print series. The first section looks at The Se...

In s3e67 of Platemark, I talk with Amy Namowitz Worthen, a distinguished engraver and curator, about her lifelong journey in printmaking. Influenced early by her artist mother, she pursued art education at Smith College and the University of Iowa, honing her artistic skills under Leonard Baskin and Mauricio Lasansky. Amy's career is marked by multi-faceted contributions to printmaking, including prestigious curatorial positions at Des Moines Art Center, along with helping to establish its Print ...

In s3e42, Platemark host Ann Shafer talks with Lauren Rosenblum and Christina Weyl about their exhibition on view at Print Center New York through December, 23, 2023. A Model Workshop: Margaret Lowengrund and The Contemporaries is the first exhibition to explore the legacy of Lowengrund (1902–1957), a visionary artist-advocate and entrepreneur. In charting the institutional history of the hybrid print workshop-gallery she founded, The Contemporaries, and its later evolution into Pratt Graphic A...

In Platemark s3e30, host Ann Shafer speaks with Ruth Fine, retired curator from the National Gallery of Art. Ruth was curator of modern prints and drawings there from 1980–2002, followed by an additional period working on special projects in modern art. Since her retirement in 2010, Ruth has been working on exhibition and writing projects, as well as sitting on the boards of the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation, the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, and others. As we are releasing this episode, Ruth h...

In s3e24, host Ann Shafer speaks with Steve Goddard, curator emerita from the Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Steve’s specialty is prints of northern Europe (1450–present), although he has been known to stray into the graphic arts of the World War One era, as well as prints that sit at the intersection of art and the biological sciences. I’m sharing some of his favorite prints here. A beloved educator, Steve has inspired generations of students with his engaging a...

In Platemark s3e20, host Ann Shafer talks with Kimberli Gant, curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Brooklyn Museum. While Kimberli’s specialty isn’t in prints per se, she is one of those unusual non-print curators who likes and appreciates prints and incorporates them into her projects. Among many projects, her work on Jacob Lawrence and his time in Nigeria led to the exhibition, Black Orpheus: Jacob Lawrence and the Mbari Club, which traveled to the Chrysler Museum, the New Orleans Mu...

Curator, University of Colorado at Boulder Art Museum

Curator, Krannert Art Museum

In s3e7, hosts Ann Shafer and Tru Ludwig sit down with Elizabeth Wyckoff, Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Saint Louis Art Museum, to talk about the exhibition Catching the Moment: Contemporary Art from the Ted L. and Maryanne Ellison Simmons Collection, which ran June 26–September 11, 2022. The Simmons collection provides an opportunity to take a deep dive into three artists they collected in depth: Kiki Smith, Enrique Chagoya, and Tom Huck. Other artists in the exhibition include Jaune Q...

Van Vleck Curator of Prints, Chazen Museum of Art