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UCLA’S School of the Arts and Architecture Appoints Scholar, Curator and Author Russell Ferguson Chair of the Department of Art

Ferguson will continue his association with the Hammer Museum as adjunct curator

Christopher Waterman, dean of the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture, announced today the appointment of Russell Ferguson as professor and chair of the UCLA Department of Art, effective January 1, 2007.

"Russell brings remarkable scholarly and curatorial leadership to the UCLA Department of Art, and we enthusiastically welcome him,” Waterman said. “Already a trusted and admired member of the UCLA arts community, Russell’s impressive experience as a curator, scholar, writer and lecturer, combined with his passion and commitment, will bring a new level of excitement to the department.”

Currently chief curator and deputy director of exhibitions and programs at the Hammer Museum at UCLA, Ferguson will continue to develop new projects for the museum as an adjunct curator, strengthening the ties between the UCLA Department of Art and the Hammer. During his tenure at the Hammer, Ferguson was co-curator of the exhibition “ Wolfgang Tillmans” and organized internationally acclaimed exhibitions, including “ The Undiscovered Country", "Patty Chang: Shangri-La” and “ Christian Marclay.” Ferguson is currently organizing “ Francis Alÿs: The Politics of Rehearsal,” which will open at the Hammer Museum next fall.

“Russell has been an invaluable colleague and strong influence at the Hammer, and we are happy for him that he has decided to pursue his academic career at UCLA,” said Ann Philbin, director of the Hammer Museum. “We are honored Russell will maintain a close working relationship with us as he becomes an advisor to the institution and an adjunct curator for the Hammer.”

Prior to his arrival at the Hammer Museum in 2001, Ferguson served as associate curator and publications editor at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, where he was honored by the International Association of Art Critics for his work. Ferguson is also the editor of two collections of critical writing: “ Discourses: Conversations in Postmodern Art and Culture” and “ Out There: Marginalization and Contemporary Cultures,” both published by MIT Press. He has written about the work of many contemporary artists, including Olafur Eliasson, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Rodney Graham, Liz Larner, Nikki S. Lee and Gillian Wearing.

Born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland, Ferguson graduated with honors from the University of Stirling, Scotland, and received his master’s in art history from Hunter College, City University of New York.“I am very excited to be joining the School of the Arts and Architecture at UCLA,” said Ferguson. “The UCLA Department of Art has exceptionally talented students and a truly outstanding faculty. I am looking forward to working with them to define the future of the department. Dean Waterman, outgoing chair Barbara Drucker and acting chair James Welling have all done an amazing job in support of the art community at UCLA. I am happy to be joining them." Link to press release