(New York, July 11, 2022)—The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced today that, following an extensive search, Shirin Fozi will be joining the Museum as the Paul and Jill Ruddock Associate Curator, Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters. Dr. Fozi is currently Associate Professor in History of Art and Architecture and Director of the Program in Medieval and Renaissance Studies at the University of Pittsburgh; she will start at The Met this summer. In her new role, Fozi will be responsible for developing exhibitions that showcase The Met’s holdings of medieval art, contributing to public programs, engaging with donors and collectors, recommending significant acquisitions, and researching and presenting the Museum’s collections in ways that capitalize on her areas of expertise.
“Shirin Fozi is a highly respected scholar in her field with an exceptionally rich knowledge of medieval art. We look forward to the wonderful scholarship she will bring to the Museum,” said Max Hollein, Marina Kellen French Director of The Met. “We also extend our gratitude to Paul and Jill Ruddock for their continued support of the Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters.”
Fozi said, “It’s an exciting time to be a medievalist because we are seeing more and more evidence of how much Europe, Africa, and Asia were interconnected during the Middle Ages. The Museum is likewise prioritizing new ways of seeing connections across different parts of its collection, with more collaborations between departments than ever before. My hope is to see this reflected in the Medieval Art Department, and particularly at The Met Cloisters, where we have a unique opportunity to represent medieval Europe as a vibrant and complex space that was in constant dialogue with its neighbors.”
About Shirin Fozi
Fozi earned her BA from Williams College (2001) and her MA (2005) and PhD (2010) in the history of art from Harvard University. As a graduate student, Fozi worked as a lecturer at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (2002–10) and served as a research intern in the Art of Europe Department and lecturer at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (2003–10).
Fozi’s dissertation on Romanesque tomb effigies was awarded the Romanik-Forschungspreis, Europäisches Romanik-Zentrum for the best dissertation from any discipline on the period ca. 1050–1200 in Europe. Her subsequent monograph, Romanesque Tomb Effigies: Death and Redemption in Europe, 1000–1200 (Penn State Press, 2021) received a Millard Meiss Grant from the College Art Association, and her essay on Reinhildis of Riesenbeck (published in Speculum) was recognized as the February 2015 article of the month by Feminae: Medieval Women and Gender Index. Together with Gerhard Lutz, Fozi co-edited Christ on the Cross: The Boston Crucifix and the Rise of Monumental Wood Sculpture 970–1200 (Brepols Publishers, 2020). In addition to her research on monumental sculpture in the 10th through early 13th century, she has published several essays on the modern history of collections of medieval art in the United States.
Fozi has taught courses in Museum Studies at the University of Pittsburgh, including seminars that culminated in an ongoing digital exhibition of medieval manuscript facsimiles (A Nostalgic Filter: Medieval Manuscripts in the Digital Age, University Art Gallery, University of Pittsburgh). She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the International Center of Medieval Art and the Council of the Medieval Academy of America.
###
July 11, 2022
Press resources