Princeton University Art Museum Appoints Kit Brooks as Curator of Asian Art

PRINCETON, N.J. – Kit Brooks has been named Curator of Asian Art at the Princeton University Art Museum. As a specialist in Japanese art history and prints, Brooks joins the Museum from the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, where they served as the Japan Foundation Assistant Curator of Japanese Art. They will begin their new position at Princeton on May 1, 2024.

As the Museum prepares for the 2025 opening of its new building—which will roughly double space for the exhibition, conservation, study, and interpretation of the Museum’s globe-spanning collections—Brooks will work closely with Zoe S. Kwok, Nancy and Peter Lee Curator of Asian Art, Chief Curator Juliana Ochs Dweck, and Museum Director James Steward to curate the Museum’s collections of East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Central Asian art as well as to oversee research, scholarly programming, and donor cultivation.

“Kit brings a breadth of knowledge in all regions of Asian art that will evolve our storied collection,” said James Steward, Nancy A. Nasher–David J. Haemisegger, Class of 1976, Director. “We’re thrilled to have them on our team as we reimagine what a university museum can offer to its visitors both in terms of our collection and contemporary presentations of Asian art.”

While at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, Brooks curated the exhibition Ay-Ō’s Happy Rainbow Hell (2023) and authored the accompanying publication. Their next exhibition and catalogue for the Smithsonian is Staging the Supernatural: Ghosts and the Theater in Japanese Prints, set to open on March 23, 2024. They previously worked at the British Museum and have curated exhibitions at the Worcester Art Museum, the Boston Children's Museum, and the Pulitzer Arts Foundation.

Brooks completed their PhD at Harvard University, studying with Professors Yukio Lippit and Melissa McCormick, both of whom received PhDs from Princeton and were students of Marquand Professor of Art and Archaeology Yoshiaki Shimizu (1936–2021).

The Princeton University Art Museum began investing in its Asian art collection in the 1880s and has since committed to teaching Asian art and culture across campus, reflecting the diversity of the region and its vital impact on Western culture and society. Recent years have seen significant additions in pre-20th-century Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and South Asian art, along with contemporary works from throughout the continent.

“I’m proud to be joining this team of curators at this exciting time in the Museum’s history,” said Brooks. “The Museum has always been a meeting ground for a diverse array of histories, cultures, and ideas. I’m eager to work with staff, faculty, and students to bring our exhibitions and scholarship to the wider Princeton community and beyond.”

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About the Princeton University Art Museum

With a collecting history that extends back to 1755, the Princeton University Art Museum is one of the leading university art museums in the country, featuring collections that have grown to include more than 115,000 works of art ranging from ancient to contemporary art and spanning the globe. Committed to advancing Princeton’s teaching and research missions, the Art Museum also serves as a gateway to the University for visitors from around the world.

The main Museum building is currently closed for the construction of a bold and welcoming new building, slated to open in 2025.

Art on Hulfish, a gallery project of the Art Museum located at 11 Hulfish Street, is open daily. Art@Bainbridge, a gallery project at 158 Nassau Street, is open Tuesday through Sunday. Admission to both galleries is free.

Please visit the Museum’s website for digital access to the collections, a diverse portfolio of programs, and details on visiting our downtown galleries. The Museum Store in Palmer Square, located at 56 Nassau Street in downtown Princeton, is open daily, or shop online at www.princetonmuseumstore.org.

Media Contact: Emma Gordon | puam@berlinrosen.com