A curator who would like to change the museum landscape

This article is part of our Women and Leadership special report to coincide with global events in March celebrating the achievements of women. This conversation has been edited and condensed.

The New-York Historical Society, the oldest museum in New York City, named Wendy Nalani E. Ikemoto chief curator and vice president in January. Ms. Ikemoto is one of the first people of indigenous descent to lead curators at a major museum in the United States. She was born in Honolulu, graduated from Stanford University and received a Ph.D. in art history from Harvard University and did postdoctoral work at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London and Vassar College.

How did you become interested in art history?

My parents, who are now retired, were radiologists. My sister and I spent a lot of time going to their office and watching them look at x-rays and dictate into a microphone what they saw. And that is exactly what art history is: taking the visual and putting it into words. I didn’t know art history existed at the time. But it was my sister, who took a course while at Stanford, who suggested I take one too. I did, and I was hooked.

And your sister?

She studied computer science and received a Ph.D. in computer graphics and is now an executive at Apple.

Many art historians pursue a career in academia. You have selected an alternate path. How did you choose?

From the beginning of my graduate career, I have always felt reservations about the elitism of art history; it does not have the reputation of being an area of ​​social services. I made the decision to leave academia; When a position opened up at a school in Honolulu, it was an opportunity for me to give back to my community and to a school that had done a lot for my family.

What brought you to the New-York Historical Society and what are your goals in your new role?

A few years ago I came here to work as an associate curator; I felt it was the perfect marriage between my love for rigorous science and my desire to serve the community. As Chief Curator, I want to take advantage of our truly rich and deep knowledge of American art and interpret, contextualize, and activate it in a way that is relevant to today. For example, in relation to the monument controversy, we had an exhibition that responded to current debates, but also highlighted the very long historical lineage – that exhibition included a scene of New York colonists and Continental soldiers pulling down a statue of King George III in Bowling Green – and depicted the overthrow of tyranny.

We currently have one exhibition of landscape paintings by Kay WalkingStick, a contemporary Cherokee artist, along with some Hudson River School paintings from our collection. As an artist, she wants visitors to have a sense of joy at the beauty of the land, but also to understand that everyone here in North America, in her terms, lives in Indian Territory. Art is part of the world and is not separate from many political questions or social unrest; it helps shape history. The exhibitions I like to create are exhibitions that grapple with – or honor – objects from the past and reactivate them in a way that gives them a new perspective. And I prefer acquiring contemporary works that deal with history directly and explicitly.

How do you attract people to the museum in a time of distraction?

The visitor experience is very important to both me and the institution. I want to work toward a curatorial vision that honors and centers the visitor experience, and ensure that the museum feels accessible and welcoming to the diverse audiences we serve. People enter an exhibition, stand in front of a painting and think they have nothing to contribute to its interpretation. But they do.

You have gained attention as one of the first chief curators of indigenous descent at a museum not dedicated to a specific type of community or type of art.

I feel honored to have this position and also the responsibility to do it well. And I see this as an opportunity to shape the museum landscape and ensure that museums serve everyone. I also like to help change the visual face of museums.