PITTSBURGH, PA.- Mattress Factory announced the appointment of Anthony Elms as its next Artistic Director, following a highly competitive national search.
Elms is an acclaimed curator, writer, and arts leader who brings decades of experience shaping boundary-pushing exhibitions, supporting artists, and deepening public engagement across major institutions and independent initiatives. His multifaceted career has included influential curatorial and leadership roles at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia, where he served as Chief Curator as well as at Peter Freeman, Inc. in New York, and numerous independent projects and publications. He brings to Mattress Factory a rare combination of curatorial rigor, deep relationships with artists, and a vision grounded in openness, inquiry, and the generative potential of risk.
Elms is widely known for his artist-centered approach and his commitment to experimentation across disciplines. He organized the exhibitions Karyn Olivier: Everything That’s Alive Moves (2020), Cauleen Smith: Give It or Leave It (2018), Endless Shout (2016–17), Rodney McMillian: The Black Show (2016), Christopher Knowles: In a Word with writer Hilton Als (2015), White Petals Surround Your Yellow Heart (2013), among others. Elms’s writings have appeared in many catalogues and edited collections, as well as various periodicals. He has independently curated many exhibitions, including Whitney Biennial 2014; Interstellar Low Ways (with Huey Copeland); A Unicorn Basking in the Light of Three Glowing Suns (with Philip von Zweck); and Sun Ra, El Saturn & Chicago’s Afro-Futurist Underground, 1954–68 (with John Corbett and Terri Kapsalis). His most recent exhibition, Rodney McMillian: Neighbors, is currently on view through May, 2026, at the Henry Art Gallery in Seattle, Wa.
“Mattress Factory’s commitment to supporting artists is the heart of its history and mission,” said Elms. “Artists challenge our definitions of art, determining its purpose, its possibilities, its values. For nearly fifty years, the Mattress Factory has given artists the space and support to explore those questions on their own terms. I am honored by the invitation to share in this challenging work with Pittsburgh and beyond.”
As Artistic Director, Elms will oversee all artistic programming at the museum, including exhibitions, artist residencies, commissions, interpretive strategies, and public engagement. His leadership arrives as Mattress Factory prepares for its 50th anniversary in 2027, a milestone that marks not only a half-century of impact but an opportunity to add new perspective to the museum’s artistic voice, deepen its role as a global center for installation art, and strengthen ties with local communities.
“Anthony is the perfect fit for this moment at the Mattress Factory,” said Executive Director David Oresick. “His artist-first approach, his deep experience across the art world, and his history of producing exhibitions that resonate widely while remaining deeply attentive to the artists’ visions make him an exceptional addition to our team. We are thrilled to welcome him and excited for the new energy, care, and creative ambition he will bring to our program.”
Elms begins his tenure at Mattress Factory in February 2026.
