Connie Choi Named Chief Curator of Philadelphia’s Barnes Foundation
4June 23, 2026
TheBarnes Foundationin Philadelphia hasappointedart historian and educatorConnie Choichief curator and inaugural vice president for art and education, effective September 8. Choi arrives to the foundation from New York’s Studio Museum in Harlem, where she is a curator. She succeeds Nancy Ireson, who was chief curator and deputy director for collections and exhibitions before exiting the institution last November.
Choi joined the Studio Museum as associate curator in 2017, rising to the role of curator. Among the shows she recently organized there are the permanent collection hang “From Now: A Collection in Context,” which inaugurated the institution’s new home last fall and on which she served as lead curator. She also curated a solo exhibition of the work of Tom Lloyd, which additionally accompanied the building’s opening. Choi notably collaborated with the institution’s Learning and Engagement department on itsFind Art Here program, which brought reproductions of works held in the museum’s collection to schools and libraries throughout Harlem.
Choi was previously assistant curator of American art at the Brooklyn Museum, where she led the reinstallation of the institution’s American galleries. She holds a Ph.D. in art history from Columbia University, a BA in art history from Yale University, and an Ed.M. in arts education from Harvard University.
“In the interest of fostering greater synergies between our curatorial and conservation functions, and our research, interpretation, and adult education operations, I have merged these departments under Connie’s leadership,” said Thom Collins, president and executive director of the Barnes Foundation, in a statement. “Her impressive curatorial and scholarly achievements, and pioneering work relating to artists of the material histories and cultures of the African diaspora, make her uniquely prepared to lead the work of these important departments.”
“The Barnes as an educational institution holds a particular resonance for me given my background in arts pedagogy, which I have employed in both museum spaces and higher education classrooms,” said Choi in a statement. “I am inspired by the Barnes’s progressive vision and excellence in arts and education and look forward to drawing on my spectrum of experience to support the incredible work of my new colleagues across many departments and the institution at large.”