CHAPEL HILL, NC.- The Ackland Art Museum at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill today announced the appointment of Dana Cowen, PhD as the inaugural Sheldon Peck Curator for European and American Art before 1950.

In this newly endowed position, Cowen will be responsible for care, cataloguing, display, expansion, and refinement of the Ackland’s distinguished collection of European and American art before 1950, organizing and overseeing exhibitions, conducting research, publication, curricular engagement and public outreach, within the context of a global public research university.

“Cowen’s range of curatorial accomplishments and art historical interests make her ideally suited for this important new position at the Ackland,” said Katie Ziglar, director. “I look forward to her energetic contribution to our ambitious goals of engaging the entire campus and our broader community under the motto ‘look close, think far.’”

The Ackland’s collection in this area encompasses over 10,000 works of art, with special strengths in prints, photographs, and drawings. It has recently been dramatically enhanced by the gift of 134 outstanding Dutch and Flemish master drawings of the 17th and 18th century from the collection of Drs. Sheldon and Leena Peck, whose generosity also endowed the new curatorial position, along with acquisition and stewardship endowments. Cowen will also serve as Curator of the Peck Collection.

“Cowen distinguished herself in our international search by her successful dedication to visitor engagement, scholarly acumen, alertness to the potential of new technologies, and breadth of experience,” commented Peter Nisbet, deputy director for curatorial affairs. “Her passion for the transformational power of art in education and life is infectious.”

Cowen has her MA and PhD from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland Ohio. Since 2015, she has served as associate curator of European art at the Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha, NE, where she oversaw a full reinstallation of the European collection, made major acquisitions, and acted as in house curator for several major travelling exhibitions. Between 2004 and 2014, she held several curatorial and other positions at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cowen commented, “I am honored to be joining the Ackland Art Museum and the UNC community. The museum’s dynamic approach toward exhibitions and visitor engagement, its mission to provide meaningful experiences through scholarship and education, its dedicated and passionate staff, and the vibrant UNC campus drew me to this role.” She will begin work at the Ackland on 4 September 2018.