Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Curatorial Fellow in Arts of Africa, Islamic Art

The Art Institute of Chicago shares its singular collections with our city and the world. We collect, care for, and interpret works of art across time, cultures, geographies, and identities. We are a place of gathering and learning, committed to fostering an inclusive understanding of human creativity.

About The Department

The Department of Arts of Africa’s curatorial purview encompasses intricate masks, statuary, jewelry, beadwork, carved reliefs, and stone and ceramic vessels, reflecting over 5,000 years of the continent’s great diversity and complexity. The artworks in the collection attest to the creativity and aesthetic sensibilities of African artists and their patrons, showcasing the cultural, geographical, and historical expanse of Africa. The collection holds nearly 200 Islamic objects such as ceramics, manuscripts, wood architectural elements, and jewelry from across the continent, including works from Egypt, Morocco, Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria, and Kenya.

Position Summary

The Department of Arts of Africa seeks a 2026-2029 Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation Fellow to advance new avenues of research and collection development focusing on artistic traditions grounded in Africa’s Islamic heritage, interrogating the boundaries of the field and the ways in which the category of Islamic art is defined.

African art studies and collections in the West continue to privilege masks and figures from the west and central regions, leaving the continent’s varied expressions of Islamic art understudied. At the same time, while the artistic traditions of Egypt and Morocco are core to the study of Islamic art, vital areas of production by Muslim makers elsewhere in Africa remain underexamined. The fellow will explore lacunae in these research fields, working collaboratively with curators to document and study the Arts of Africa’s existing collection of Islamic artworks and identify areas for growth. The fellow will also contribute to the department’s ongoing exploration of the role western museums have played and might continue to play in defining the field. The overarching goal of this initiative is to allow the department to greatly expand the narratives we are able to tell—through objects and in-depth research—in a way that recognizes and celebrates Africa’s place in the visual culture of the Islamic world. The Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellow will be given the opportunity to assume a leadership role in the museum’s endeavor in this regard.

The start date of the fellowship is flexible, and will be negotiated based on the candidate’s individual needs or circumstances. Optimally, the appointment would begin in late summer/fall 2026. This is a three-year term. The fellowship includes benefits, a modest relocation allowance, a stipend for research/professional development, and funds for project support.

Responsibilities

• Conduct object-based, archival, and comparative research on Islamic artworks in the Arts of Africa collection; update physical object files and database records in preparation for publication on the museum’s website.
• Write didactic material about select artworks in the Department of Arts of Africa’s Islamic collection for the gallery and/or website.
• Work with the curators to develop proposals for forthcoming gallery rotations and temporary exhibitions related to the fellowship project.
• Identify and help pursue potential new loans, gifts, and/or acquisitions with the aim of expanding areas in the collection that are lacking or have been underrepresented so far.
• Establish or build upon relationships and exchanges with local and international stakeholders, such as curators, scholars, critics, and collectors, including on the African continent.
• Pursue publications, presentations, scholarly convenings, and/or other public projects to document fellowship research and develop relationships as needed with relevant scholars and practitioners in the field.

While the Fellow’s home base will be the curatorial department of Arts of Africa, fellowship activities may be performed in collaboration with other departments such as Textiles; Arts of Asia; Applied Arts of Europe; Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium; Conservation and Science, and the Research Center. Additional opportunities may include writing blog posts, developing rotations in partnership with other curatorial departments, and drafting an acquisition justification. The Fellow should expect to travel on research trips, to conferences, and to art fairs. The Fellow is highly encouraged to develop and work on their own research projects during the fellowship, which the museum would aim to support.

Qualifications

• An advanced degree (Master’s-level or beyond) in art history, Islamic studies, Middle Eastern studies, African studies, history, anthropology, or a closely related field with a strong research focus on Islamic art produced on the African continent
• Reading fluency in Arabic is required; competency in other languages related to the candidate’s area of expertise is highly desired
• The ideal candidate brings a deep interest in working in or with museums and a strong research record
• Excellent writing skills, outstanding interpersonal communication, and the ability to collaborate with curiosity and open-mindedness

Compensation & Benefits

Please click on the links below to view our competitive, comprehensive benefits package:

• Hiring Range

The expected hiring range is an estimated amount for positions based on the grade. Final offers are based on various factors, including skill set, experience, qualifications and other job-related reasons.

• Benefits
• PTO Overview
• Job Classification: Exempt
• Employment Category: Fellow
• Grade Level: 7

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Application Instructions

Candidates should submit a CV, a cover letter detailing the candidate’s interest in and qualifications for the position, along with a list of three references. We encourage candidates to reflect upon how their research interests might engage with the overlapping classifications of African and Islamic objects, including but not limited to the cultural, linguistic, political, and/or economic networks between peoples and cultures in Africa. All documents should be collated into a single PDF and uploaded to the museum’s employment portal as one file. Upon invitation to interview, further supporting materials (such as a writing sample) may be requested.

To ensure the fullest possible consideration, please submit your application by Friday, February 20, 2026. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the post is filled.

Union

This position is part of a bargaining unit represented by AFSCME Council 31.

Accessibility

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Equal Opportunity Statement

The Art Institute of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits, hires and promotes qualified individuals compliant with federal and state laws. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the Department of Human Resources at [email protected].