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originally published: 08/11/2022

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- The Princeton University Art Museum has named Carolyn M. Laferrière as assistant curator of ancient Mediterranean art. Laferrière joins Princeton from the Center for the Premodern World and the Department of Classics at the University of Southern California, where she served as a postdoctoral scholar and teaching fellow. She began her appointment at Princeton on August 1.

At Princeton, Laferrière will curate the Museum’s extraordinary collections from around the ancient Mediterranean world, including its holdings of ancient Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Near Eastern art. Laferrière’s appointment comes at a vital time for the Museum, which last year began construction on a dramatic new building designed by Sir David Adjaye, scheduled to open in late 2024. Laferrière will lead the planning for new galleries as well as develop temporary exhibitions, conduct research, initiate scholarly and public programs, grow the collections in her areas, and cultivate collectors and supporters.

“Carolyn’s boundary-crossing work with the art of the ancient world and her understanding of the complexities of cultural property stewardship make her a truly exciting addition to the Museum team at a time of dramatic growth,” said James Steward, Nancy A. Nasher–David J. Haemisegger, Class of 1976, Director.

Prior to her work at the University of Southern California, Laferrière served as a postdoctoral associate in ancient and premodern cultures and civilizations with ARCHAIA, Yale University's Program for the Study of Ancient and Premodern Cultures and Civilizations, as well as a lecturer in Yale’s Departments of History of Art and Classics. While there, she curated the exhibition Sights and Sounds of Ancient Ritual for the Yale University Art Gallery.

Laferrière earned a PhD from Yale University in the history of art, specializing in Greek art and archaeology. She received a master of arts in classical and Near Eastern archaeology from the University of British Columbia and a bachelor’s degree from Carleton University, with a double major in art history and classics and religion. 

Laferrière specializes in archaic and classical Greek art and architecture, with a particular emphasis on the visual representation of music, art, and religious ritual as well as funerary art, ancient aesthetics, and sensory studies. She has written numerous articles and book chapters, contributed to exhibition publications, and delivered invited talks and conference presentations. Her first book, Divine Music in Archaic and Classical Greek Art: Seeing the Songs of the Gods, is under contract with Cambridge University Press.

 

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“I am honored to join Princeton’s team during this exciting time of growth and evolution,” said Laferrière. “The opportunity to shape new gallery spaces at a museum with such a deep and rich history is exceptionally rare, and I’m especially thrilled for the opportunity to reframe how we interrogate ancient works of art in Sir David’s galleries.”

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With a collecting history that extends back to 1755, the Princeton University Art Museum is one of the leading university art museums in the country, with collections that have grown to include more than 113,000 works of art ranging from ancient to contemporary art and spanning the globe. Committed to advancing Princeton’s teaching and research missions, the Art Museum also serves as a gateway to the University for visitors from around the world. The main Museum building is currently closed for the construction of a bold and welcoming new building, designed in partnership with Sir David Adjaye and slated to open in late 2024.

Art@Bainbridge is located in downtown Princeton at 158 Nassau Street. Art@Bainbridge hours are Tuesday and Wednesday, 11:00am to 5:00pm; Thursday through Saturday, 11:00am to 7:00pm; and Sunday 11:00am to 4:00pm.

Art on Hulfish, the Museum’s photo-focused gallery located at 11 Hulfish Street in Palmer Square, also in downtown Princeton, is open daily. 

Admission to both galleries is free.

Please visit the Museum’s website for digital access to the collections and a calendar of diverse live and on-demand programs. The Museum Store in Palmer Square, located at 56 Nassau Street in downtown Princeton, is open daily; or shop online at princetonmuseumstore.org.