This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
There is a changing of the guard at the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art
Rebecca Maksym, UMOCA's curator of exhibitions since 2013, is moving to Portland, Ore., the museum announced Wednesday.
Maksym's successor is Jared Steffensen, a longtime UMOCA employee who most recently was the museum's education and outreach programming director.
"It was a pleasure to work with UMOCA's amazing staff," Maksym said in a statement. "I'm truly grateful for all of the opportunities to collaborate with local and international artists in an effort to help elevate the discourse of contemporary art in Utah."
Kristian Anderson, UMOCA's executive director, said in a statement: "Our loss is Portland's gain and we know that she will continue her bravery and merit in all of her future endeavors."
In the last three years, Maksym has curated several major exhibitions, including: "Rolithica," a photo/installation show with dramatic compositions by David Brothers; a showcase of the works of Kate Ericson and Mel Ziegler; and the current group sculpture show "Object[ed]: Shaping Sculpture in Contemporary Art."
Steffensen, among his accomplishments, developed and implemented UMOCA's Artist-in-Residence program, which gives long-term support to local artists.
Steffensen, Anderson said, "will continue the museum's track record of thought provoking programming, while putting his own stamp on exhibitions."