WASHINGTON, DC.- Evelyn C. Hankins, curator at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden since 2008, has been named the Head Curator. In her position as the first female Head Curator of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Hankins leads the department responsible for planning exhibitions and commissioning artworks which draw from and respond to the museum’s internationally distinguished collection of modern and contemporary art. With an intimate knowledge of the museum’s history and nuanced understanding of its role as the national museum of modern art, Hankins will continue to advance the Hirshhorn’s international reputation and shape the permanent collection.

“I am thrilled to support Evelyn as she assumes the role of Head Curator,” said Hirshhorn Director Melissa Chiu. “Throughout her Hirshhorn tenure, Evelyn has demonstrated an exceptional vision, scholarship, and creativity to establish herself as a transformative leader on the national stage. Evelyn will continue to shepherd our museum’s collection and foster collaborations as we near our 50th anniversary, the revitalization of our Sculpture Garden and continue to respond to and present the art, artists and ideas of the moment.”

With a curatorial expertise in American and European modernism, Hankins has organized more than 15 exhibitions at the Hirshhorn during her 14-year tenure. Recent highlights include “Marcel Duchamp: The Barbara and Aaron Levine Collection” (2019), a transformational promised gift to the Museum; “Pat Steir: Color Wheel” (2019), a site-specific project; “Charline von Heyl: Snake Eyes” (2018–2019), a major monographic survey; and “Mark Bradford: Pickett’s Charge” (2017–2021), the internationally renowned artist’s largest work to date. Hankins’ next exhibition, “Sam Gilliam: Full Circle” opens May 25.

Hankins has captained lauded exhibitions, notably “Robert Irwin: All the Rules Will Change” (2016), a two-part project comprising a historical show focusing on Irwin’s groundbreaking artworks from the 1960s and a major new scrim installation in response to the museum’s distinctive architecture was cited by The New York Times as “a magical show” and in The Washington Post as “art so good it needs spoiler alerts.” She has also organized an array of projects, including “Markus Lüpertz: Threads of History” (2017); “Susan Philipsz: Part File Score” (2016); “At the Hub of Things: New Views of the Collection” (2014) (co-curated); “Jennie C. Jones: Higher Resonance” (2013); “Over, Under Next: Experiments in Mixed Media, 1913-Present” (2013); “ColorForms” (2010); “Walead Beshty: Legibility on Color Backgrounds” (2009); and “The Panza Collection” (2008).