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The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) welcomed Anne Collins Smith as its new chief curator on February 11, marking a significant addition to its leadership team. Smith, who previously served as the director of Xavier University of Louisiana’s art gallery, brings a wealth of experience from her roles at the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, the Davis Museum and Cultural Center at Wellesley College, and the Saint Louis Art Museum. In an interview with Antiques and The Arts Weekly, Smith shared insights into her first nine months at NOMA, her career trajectory, and her vision for the museum’s future.
Smith’s appointment to NOMA represents a shift in her career, as the museum’s comprehensive collection spans over 5,000 years of global art history. She emphasized the unique opportunity to connect with New Orleans’ culturally vibrant community while placing its art in a broader global context. Unlike her previous roles, which often focused on specific institutions or regions, NOMA’s diverse collection allows Smith to explore a wider range of artistic narratives and engage with a more varied audience.
Her academic background in visual arts administration from New York University has been instrumental in shaping her career. The program, which offers non-profit and for-profit tracks, provided Smith with a well-rounded understanding of arts management. Blending both tracks allowed her to grasp the intricacies of the art world’s power structures, even as she focused on non-profit work. Key courses such as the history of taste and connoisseurship deepened her curatorial expertise, while her thesis on audience development emphasized creating accessible and empowering museum experiences.
One of Smith’s primary responsibilities at NOMA is overseeing retrospectives of two New Orleans-based artists, Hayward Oubre and Willie Birch. Both artists have personal and professional ties to Smith, making these projects particularly meaningful. Oubre, like Smith, was educated in the Atlanta University Center, and his upcoming exhibition represents a posthumous homecoming. Birch, though of a different generation, shares a similar educational and cultural background with Smith, and both have returned to New Orleans to contribute to its artistic legacy. Smith sees these retrospectives as an opportunity to highlight the local community while situating their work within a global framework.
Smith’s curatorial philosophy aligns with Mary Ann Calo’s idea that curators act as intermediaries between art, artists, and the community. She views her role as creating connections that might otherwise go unnoticed, helping audiences from diverse backgrounds engage with art in meaningful ways. Smith believes that curators have a responsibility to the art, the artist, and the audience equally, ensuring that each perspective is honored and integrated into the museum’s programming.
Looking ahead, Smith is excited to continue collaborating with NOMA’s curatorial and leadership teams to create experiences that inspire and challenge visitors. She recently participated in Independent Curators International’s Curatorial Forum in Chicago, which focused on the concept of “Building a Cathedral.” This metaphor emphasizes the long-term, collaborative nature of creating equitable and accessible spaces in the arts. Smith sees herself as a conduit for this work, laying the foundation for future generations to build upon and complete.
In her first year at NOMA, Smith has already begun shaping the museum’s direction by fostering connections between the institution, its collection, and the community. Her emphasis on inclusivity, accessibility, and global perspectives reflects her commitment to creating a museum experience that resonates with a wide range of audiences. As she continues in her role, Smith aims to ensure that NOMA remains a vital cultural hub for New Orleans and beyond, offering opportunities for enlightenment, engagement, and artistic exploration.
