ODU APPOINTS NEW CURATOR FOR BARON AND ELLIN GORDON ART GALLERIES

Chandra de Silva, dean of the College of Arts and Letters, recently announced the appointment of Ramona Austin as curator of the Baron and Ellin Gordon Art Galleries on the campus of Old Dominion University.

Austin will be responsible for the accessioning, care and interpretation of the university's recently acquired Gordon Self-Taught Art Collection; planning and installing exhibitions in an adjoining changing gallery that focuses on contemporary artists; and overseeing the documentation and registration of the university's general art collection of more than 300 works dispersed around the campus. Housed in a dedicated gallery, the Gordon Self-Taught Art Collection is a donation of approximately 350 works in all media by many of America's leading self-taught artists.

Austin was selected following a nationwide search. Robert Wojtowicz, associate dean of the College of Arts and Letters and chair of the search committee, said that three of the more than 20 applicants were invited to interview on campus and present papers on their scholarly research.

Austin comes to ODU with considerable curatorial and directorial experience. She has been the director of the Hampton University Museum and Archives; the Margaret Mcdermott Associate Curator for African Art at the Dallas Museum of Art; and associate curator for African art, Department of Africa, Oceania and Americas, at the Art Institute of Chicago. She also has 18 years of experience working on independent curatorial projects, programs and museum consultation.

Currently finishing her dissertation for a doctorate in the history of art at Yale University, Austin holds a Master of Philosophy and Master of Art in the history of art degrees from Yale, a bachelor's in English from Simpson College and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theater from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Goodman Memorial Theatre School of Drama, now the Theatre School at DePaul University.

The Baron and Ellin Gordon Art Galleries are located at 4509 Monarch Way in the University Village. The galleries are open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Parking is available in the 45th Street garage.