University Art Museum chooses curator

“It was a pleasant surprise, actually,” Just said.

Rebecca Sender, current acting director of the Art Museum, said in a University statement that she is “delighted” to announce Just’s appointment.

“Bryan’s passion for objects and for teaching is infectious,” Sender said. “He is committed to making Princeton’s important collection better-known and understood.”

Just joined the museum’s staff in 2005 and has served as an assistant curator of art of the ancient Americas since 2007. Though he competed with a nation-wide pool of job applicants for the curator’s position, Just was one step ahead after having a year’s worth of on-the-job training.

“Starting about one year ago I jumped into this position as the interim [curator],” he said. “At that time I actually took on the responsibilities for the position in many respects.”

Just’s responsibilities go beyond the duties of curators at other museums and delve into the University’s academic life. Besides teaching one course per semester in the Department of Art and Archeology, Just is also obligated to advise juniors and seniors in the department and lead gallery talks and workshops.

Just said he feels confident that he will be able to adapt to his new position. “I’ve learned a lot as I go,” he said, “but I’ll probably gather some other bits of information.”

Just’s position was established by the Peter Jay Sharp Foundation, founded by a 1952 alumnus who supports arts and education programs and served on the museum’s advisory council.

Sharp was “a real estate developer and hotelier as well as a member of the ... Museum’s advisory council from 1987 until his death in 1992,” according to a University statement.

Behind museum doors, Just is working on a variety of other projects, including making the museum’s collection available online.

“I’m striving to have all of our ancient America holdings searchable online so you can get information about all of them,” he said. “We’ve got about 500 pieces up so far.”

Just noted, however, that he will not forget his traditional responsibilities, including taking care of the exhibition, building the collection and researching the current holdings.

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Just, who received his Ph.D. in art history and linguistics from Tulane in 2006, said that though it is not too much of a change from his current responsibilities, he considers the promotion a great opportunity.

“I’m excited,” he said. “For the area of the world I study, there are very few collections of this quality at a university.”

Presently, Just is continuing his role as project coordinator for a major exhibition which will open next fall.

“I’m particularly working on an exhibition of ancient ivory art from the Bering Strait region, which is very far from my own area of expertise,” he said.

Just added that his work has not afforded him much time to design exhibitions on his own. He was optimistic, though, that the future holds more for his innovative direction. “They will come,” he said of such exhibitions.

Sender likewise expressed confidence in Just’s abilities. “There is no doubt he will make substantial contributions to the field,” she said.