José Carlos Diaz Named Chief Curator of Pérez Art Museum Miami
130Sept. 17, 2025
ThePérez Art Museum Miami(PAMM) has announced José Carlos Diaz as its next senior director of curatorial affairs and chief curator. Diaz arrives to PAMM from the Seattle Art Museum, where he has served as deputy director of art since 2022. He succeeds Gilbert Vicario, who departed as chief curator this past February. Diaz will assume his new dual roles at PAMM on October 13.
“I see PAMM as both a cultural anchor and a civic gathering place in Miami—one uniquely positioned to reflect and connect the city’s many communities,” said Diaz in a statement. “I aim to make art accessible to as many people as possible. My curatorial approach consistently features globally influential artists, reinterpreting their legacies through modern lenses. I am excited to join forces with PAMM and work to foster cross-cultural dialogues and new perspectives.”
While at the Seattle Art Museum, Diaz oversaw the institution’s curatorial programs alongside those of the Seattle Asian Art Museum and Olympic Sculpture Park and spearheaded the “Calder at SAM” initiative. Among the exhibitions he curated there were “Calder: In Motion” and a survey of Anila Quayyum Agha, which is on view through April 19, 2026. Previously, from 2016 to 2022, he was chief curator at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, where he organized solo exhibitions of Farhad Moshiri and Paola Pivi. Earlier roles include curatorial positions at several Miami institutions—the Bass Museum, the Rubell Museum, and PAMM, when it was known as the Miami Art Museum—and at Tate Liverpool and the Liverpool Biennial. He holds a BA in art history from San Francisco State University and an MA in curatorial history from the University of Liverpool.
“We are excited to welcome José Carlos Diaz to the team,” said PAMM’s director, Franklin Sirmans, in a statement. “His unparalleled understanding of the history of art in Miami, and around the world, will be an asset to the institution as we continue to lead that evolving conversation. José’s knowledge and experience in museums also makes him the perfect person to lead and guide our curatorial team into the future.”