SALEM, MA.- The Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) announced the appointment of Yao Wu as the museum’s first Huang Family Curator of Chinese Art and Culture. A distinguished scholar and curator, Wu brings nearly two decades of museum experience and an extensive academic background to PEM. She will focus on creating new interpretive galleries for Yin Yu Tang, a 200-year-old Chinese home, and the museum’s renowned collections of Chinese art and culture. Wu, who currently serves as the inaugural Jane Chace Carroll Curator of Asian Art at the Smith College Museum of Art, begins her post at PEM on March 4, 2024.

"We are thrilled to welcome Ms. Wu to PEM,” said Lynda Roscoe Hartigan, PEM’s Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Executive Director and CEO. “Her scholarship, curatorial creativity and deep passion for sharing art and culture will enhance the museum’s commitment to broadening perspectives and fostering cross-cultural dialogue. Ms. Wu’s record in organizing compelling exhibitions and collaborating with diverse stakeholders, as well as her dedication to employing bold, innovative museum practices, make her a perfect fit for PEM."

During her eight-year tenure at the Smith College Museum of Art, Wu has significantly expanded the museum’s Asian art collection while curating and co-curating over twenty exhibitions that explore a diverse range of historical and contemporary themes. She is known for engaging diverse audiences, catalyzing cross-campus initiatives and developing strategic partnerships with a range of institutions and organizations. As a guest lecturer and skilled producer of interdisciplinary symposia, she is adept at finding new ways to approach and consider Asian art within American and global contexts.

Expressing excitement about joining PEM, Wu noted, "I am thrilled to contribute to PEM's rich legacy as a leader in Chinese art and culture curation, research and stewardship. My goal is to deepen the museum's holdings, create compelling exhibitions and explore innovative ways to engage visitors in the iconic Yin Yu Tang house and PEM’s galleries."

Wu, who is fluent in English and Chinese, is a Ph.D. candidate in Art History at Stanford University. She holds a M.A. in Art History from Williams College and a B.A. in English Language and Literature from Fudan University, Shanghai. She has previously worked at the Guggenheim Museum, Stanford University’s Cantor Arts Center, the Clark Art Institute, MASS MoCA and the Williams College Museum of Art.