The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art Announces Departure of Cameron Kitchin
The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art’s Board of Trustees announces the departure of Cameron Kitchin, who has been director of the institution for the past 6 years. Kitchin has been named Director of the Cincinnati Art Museum; he will begin his new position there on October 1. Nathan Bicks, Chairman of the Brooks’ Board of Trustees, upon announcing Kitchin’s departure, noted "He's a very smart and talented individual—and he is well ensconced in the leading theories of museum management. He's a good strategic thinker with a wonderful family. It's a loss for our community and a real benefit to Cincinnati."
Cameron Kitchin, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art
During Kitchin’s tenure, the Brooks Museum organized numerous major exhibitions such as Venice in the Age of Canaletto, The Soul of a City: Memphis Collects African American Art, The Crossroads of Memory: Carroll Cloar and the American South, and Marisol: Sculptures and Works on Paper. Likewise, the Brooks advanced new scholarship via educational initiatives and family programming—including a groundbreaking program in early childhood education in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution. Under Kitchin’s guidance the Brooks also accomplished large-scale capital improvements including state of the art security systems, collections management databases, fire alert systems, emergency systems, and handheld device technology. Most recently, Kitchin helped prepare the Brooks Museum for its next 100 years as it moves toward its 2016 centennial. This includes his work in implementing a new strategic plan and a partnership with architectural firm Cooper, Robertson & Partners to generate a facilities space program report for the museum.
Harry Goldsmith, the current vice president of the Board of Trustees, will serve as Interim Director until a permanent successor is put in place. Goldsmith, who recently retired as General Counsel from AutoZone, Inc., a Fortune 500 company, and is currently Senior Counsel to Bass, Berry & Sims PLC, has been involved with the Brooks as a trustee and benefactor for many years. As Interim Director, Goldsmith will continue the focus of implementing the mission of the Memphis Brooks Museum, which is to enrich the lives of our diverse community through the museum's expanding collection, varied exhibitions, and dynamic programs that reflect the art of world cultures from antiquity to the present.
A Trustee Search Committee, headed by Lisa Kranc, retired Senior Vice President of Marketing at AutoZone, Inc., will be formed in the coming weeks to begin the process of recruiting Kitchin’s successor.