PITTSBURGH, PA.- Lynn Zelevansky, The Henry J. Heinz II Director of Carnegie Museum of Art, announced the appointment of Eric Crosby to the position of Richard Armstrong Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. Crosby, who will join the CMOA staff in October, is currently Associate Curator of Visual Arts at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he has worked since 2009.

In his new role, Crosby oversees CMOA’s world-class modern and contemporary program, working with art from 1945 to the present. His responsibilities include the acquisition, installation, and interpretation of the museum’s renowned collection, and organizing special exhibitions, including the museum’s Forum series, now in its 25th year.

Lynn Zelevansky said, “We’ve long felt the need to have continuity in the modern and contemporary program. Eric, with his strong background in all aspects of art after World War II, is the ideal candidate to provide this. We are particularly excited about his background in film and video, an area where Carnegie Museum of Art has a fascinating history. Eric’s past work with digital publishing platforms is also especially well-suited to initiatives at CMOA.”

CMOA chief curator Catherine Evans added, “As we continue to develop visitor-facing initiatives, we’re thrilled to welcome Eric to the curatorial team. He brings a wealth of experience on dynamic collection presentations, both in-gallery and online.”

During his time at the Walker, Crosby organized special exhibitions and installations of the permanent collection, most recently Art Expanded 1958–1978, a reinterpretation of the Walker’s Fluxus collection, and Liz Deschenes: Gallery 7, the artist’s first solo presentation at an American museum. Crosby also served as the curatorial lead for the Walker’s Living Collections Catalogue, an award-winning online platform for collections-based research and scholarship. He received a BA from Wesleyan University and an MA from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he studied the history of avant-garde film and video as a doctoral candidate.

“I’m honored to take on this role,” Crosby said. “For well over a century, the Carnegie has defined the horizon of contemporary art as we know it by advancing the ideas and endeavors of living artists. Framing that esteemed history and shaping its future will be at the core of my work here.”

Crosby’s appointment follows CMOA’s recent announcement of Ingrid Schaffner as the curator of the 57th Carnegie International.

Crosby said, “I look forward to working closely with Schaffner and her team on CMOA’s longstanding tradition of acquiring artwork from the International to build the permanent collection.” The museum purchased its first work from the International in 1896.