The Georgetown University College of Arts & Sciences is excited to announce the appointment of Jaynelle Hazard as the new director and chief curator of the Georgetown University Art Galleries.
“We are delighted that Ms. Hazard will be joining us on the Hilltop,” said Ian Bourland, incoming chair of the Department of Art and Art History. “She brings a deep knowledge of both the regional and global arts landscape, and an impressive record of fostering timely, impactful exhibitions. She arrives on campus at a moment when her vision will contribute in exciting ways to our collective conversations around contemporary culture and politics.”
Georgetown University Art Galleries, which is housed with the College of Arts & Sciences, encompasses both the Maria & Alberto de la Cruz Art Gallery and the Lucille M. & Richard F.X. Spagnuolo Art Gallery.
Two observers look at part of a recent exhibition from artist Kara Walker in the Maria & Alberto de la Cruz Gallery. The exhibition was organized by Katie Geha for the Athenaeum, the University of Georgia.
“University galleries are centers for teaching, learning and scholarship,” Jaynelle Hazard said. “I look forward to working with Georgetown University students, faculty and departments to collectively present and explore opportunities to deepen understanding of contemporary art, artistic practice and critical thinking through academic courses, lectures, workshops and programs.”
During the academic year, each gallery presents two exhibitions featuring works by acclaimed professional artists in addition to one student or faculty show. The Maria & Alberto de la Cruz Art Gallery, which opened in 2018, has received critical acclaim with recent monographic shows featuring artists such as Glenn Ligon, Kara Walker, Teresita Fernández and Jeffrey Gibson, who is currently representing the United States at the Venice Biennale, an international cultural exhibition hosted by the Biennale Foundation in Italy..
“I have followed the new de la Cruz Art Gallery and renovated Spagnuolo Gallery since their opening in 2018 and I believe that in just a few short years they have demonstrated how art can powerfully address contemporary conversations,” Hazard said. “I look forward to thinking deeply and broadly about how the important work and contributions of Georgetown University Art Galleries get out into the world and connect with audiences.”
Hazard, an established presence in the mid-Atlantic art scene, previously served as the executive director and chief curator of Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art (Tephra ICA) in Reston, Virginia. There, she oversaw a pivotal organizational rebranding, re-establishing its position in the field to better engage with artists, audiences and the wider community.
“Jaynelle Hazard has emerged as a truly innovative leader in the arts, managing a broad array of exhibitions, programs, fundraising and professional development initiatives,” said Al Acres, who has served as interim director of the Georgetown University Art Galleries. “In addition to her curatorial and administrative work, one of her distinctive accomplishments has been being part of the great success of the Tephra ICA Art Festival, a nationally-renowned gathering that convenes more than 200 artists and 20,000 visitors annually.”
“Like all of her projects at Tephra ICA and elsewhere, this reflects Jaynelle’s deep commitment to interdisciplinary exploration of contemporary art and ideas that engage a wide spectrum of communities.”
Hazard’s curatorial projects have sought to showcase innovation, conceptual rigor and diverse voices and practices in the region. Her Quantum Shift exhibit featuring Latinx light and space artist, Gisela Colón, which included both in-gallery and outdoor components, featured a public sculpture in James Monroe Park, just steps away from the White House. Her exhibit What Makes the Earth Shake, taking its title from James Baldwin’s 1962 “A Letter to My Nephew”, featured fast-rising Black figurative painter Dominic Chambers, who was featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 List, identifying him as one of the most exciting emerging artists of his generation.
Hazard also served as the director of exhibitions at Workhouse Art Center in Lorton, Virginia, where she developed, implemented and oversaw contemporary art programming initiatives. In previous roles, she has supported various art programs and worked with celebrated artists through her experience in supporting the corporate contemporary art collection at UBS and in her work at blank projects gallery in Cape Town, South Africa.
“I am thrilled to have a part in the ongoing work of Georgetown University Art Galleries,” Hazard said. “These are spaces focused on contemporary art inquiry and exploration where art looks outward and extends across disciplines, throughout the campus, the city and far beyond. The future of the Galleries is incredibly exciting.”
Through theater, music, dance and more, members of the Georgetown community have been exploring how to spark change and pursue racial justice through the arts.
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