Brinton Announces New Curatorial Director

Recently the Brinton Museum announced the appointment of Jochen Wierich as its new Curatorial Director. With a rich background in academia and museum curation, Wierich brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this role at The Brinton Museum.

Born in Neuss, Germany, Jochen Wierich earned his M.A. in American Studies at the Goethe University of Frankfurt and his Ph.D. in American Studies at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. Since his graduation, Wierich has navigated a dual career path as both an academic teacher and a museum curator, showcasing his passion for American art and culture.

Throughout his career, Wierich has held teaching appointments in art history at Vanderbilt University, Whitman College, Free University in Berlin, Belmont University, and Aquinas College. As a museum professional he has worked at the Terra Museum of American Art in Chicago, the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture in Spokane, Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art in Nashville, Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson, and Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids.

Wierich has organized and managed over twenty museum exhibitions, including major exhibitions in Western art such as The Taos Society and Ancient Cultures, Art of the Yellowstone, and Masterworks from the Buffalo Bill Historic Center. His publications include two books published by Penn State Press: Emanuel Leutze, Washington Crossing the Delaware, and American History Painting (2012) and Internationalizing the History of American Art: Views (2009), an anthology co-edited with Barbara Groseclose.

Wierich’s essays in academic journals and exhibition catalogs cover a range of topics and artists in American art, including Richard Caton Woodville, Lilly Martin Spencer, Emanuel Leutze, Winslow Homer, the Taos Society of Artists, The Eight, Winold Reiss, southern Plantation images, and contemporary sculpture. His areas of research interest encompass the art of the American West, Native American Art, ethnography in art and photography, and transatlantic historiographies of American art.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jochen Wierich to The Brinton Museum as our Curatorial Director,” says Kendra Heimbuck, Executive Director at The Brinton Museum. “His blend of scholarly achievement and practical experience in museum curation will contribute greatly to our vision to enhance connections to the land, people and cultures of the West. We look forward to the innovative exhibitions and programming he will bring to our institution.”

Jochen Wierich’s appointment as Curatorial Director marks an exciting new chapter for The Brinton Museum, as it continues to enrich the cultural landscape of Wyoming and beyond.