PEABODY ESSEX MUSEUM
Yao Wu appointed Curator of Chinese Art and Culture
Wu brings nearly two decades of museum experience to PEM, where she will focus on creating new interpretive galleries for the Chinese house Yin Yu Tang and the museum’s renowned collections of Chinese art and culture.
Yao currently serves as the inaugural Jane Chace Carroll Curator of Asian Art at Smith College Museum of Art. During her eight-year tenure, she significantly expanded the museum’s Asian art collection while curating and co-curating over twenty exhibitions exploring a range of historical and contemporary themes. She is known for engaging diverse audiences, cross-campus initiatives, and developing strategic partnerships. As a lecturer and producer of interdisciplinary symposia, she has found new ways to approach Asian art within American and global contexts.
Wu, who is fluent in English and Chinese, is a Ph.D. candidate in Art History at Stanford University. She holds an M.A. in Art History from Williams College and a B.A. in English Language and Literature from Fudan University, Shanghai. She has previously worked at the Guggenheim Museum, Stanford University’s Cantor Arts Center, the Clark Art Institute, MASS MoCA, and Williams College Museum of Art.
Lynda Roscoe Hartigan, PEM’s Executive Director and CEO, said, "We are thrilled to welcome Ms. Wu to PEM. Her scholarship, curatorial creativity and deep passion for sharing art and culture will enhance the museum’s commitment to broadening perspectives and fostering cross-cultural dialogue. Her record in organizing compelling exhibitions and collaborating with diverse stakeholders, as well as her dedication to employing bold, innovative museum practices, make her a perfect fit for PEM."