The Bronx Museum Director & Chief Curator

Shamim M. Momin

INTRODUCTION LETTER 10.09.25

Dear Bronx Museum Community,

As I begin my second month as Director and Chief Curator of The Bronx Museum, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to our Board, Staff, Artists, Supporters, and Community for their warm welcome. I am deeply inspired by the Museum’s history and mission to champion diverse artists and audiences—a mandate that feels especially urgent in today’s world.

In The Bronx, creativity has always been an expression of resilience, and for more than fifty years, this institution has embodied that spirit. It is a profound honor to be entrusted with this work, and I am committed to leading the Museum forward into its bright future.

I’ve joined the Museum at a wonderful time. The deeply moving Ministry: Reverend Joyce McDonald is a must-see exhibition this fall, and we’ve just announced that our next AIM Biennial will open in January 2026, further uplifting the talented up-and-coming artists who recently participated in the Museum’s prestigious AIM Fellowship.

Portrait of Shamim M. Momin by Guarionex Rodriguez, Jr.

The robust calendar of public programs this fall includes community-building events, like a Día de Muertos celebration, as well as creative opportunities such as Lifelong Studio, which offers free art-making workshops to adults aged 55 and older.

Our policy of free admission ensures that our neighbors and visitors of all ages and backgrounds feel welcome here, and I am determined to nurture that spirit of openness in everything we do. I hope to see and meet you in the galleries or at one of our events soon!

In many ways, this role at The Bronx Museum feels like a return to my roots, though one that the journey to coming home has indelibly informed. I was born in New York City and began my career as a curator at the Whitney Museum, where I found my calling working with artists whose practices defied easy categorization—an ethos that resonates strongly with The Bronx Museum’s commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices.

Later, as the co-founder of LAND, a Los Angeles–based public art organization, my belief in the importance of free access to thought-provoking contemporary art was further reinforced, mirroring a core principle of this Museum’s mission.

Most recently, at the Henry Art Gallery in Seattle, I expanded our advocacy for exhibitions that pushed the boundaries of contemporary practice—an approach that aligns with the trailblazing curatorial vision here.

I am proud to bring my experience and expertise as a curator, administrator, and leader to the critical work being done by The Bronx Museum. It is with great appreciation for the Museum’s five decades of advancing equity and social justice in the art world that I come home to my city and step into the role of Director and Chief Curator.

Looking ahead, I am eagerly anticipating the reopening of the Museum’s South Wing, which will create the world-class art facility the people of The Bronx deserve. This extraordinary $42.9-million renovation, primarily funded by the City of New York and designed by the award-winning architectural firm, Marvel, will allow the Museum to fulfill its future vision and expanded impact. I look forward to welcoming you to our revitalized space.

As I dive into this new chapter, I am energized by the exciting future ahead and by all the wonderful people who are part of who we are, collectively. Together, we will continue to ensure that The Bronx Museum remains a space where art, ideas, and community can and will thrive.

Sincerely,

Shamim M. Momin
Director and Chief Curator
The Bronx Museum

About Shamim M. Momin

Shamim M. Momin is the newly appointed Director and Chief Curator of The Bronx Museum of the Arts, who joins the Museum following over 20 years of curatorial and leadership experience at some of the nation’s premier institutions.

She has served, most recently, as an independent curator and advisor in New York, following her tenure as the Director of Curatorial Affairs and Chief Curator at the Henry Art Gallery (Seattle). In this role from 2018-2024, she oversaw the Curatorial, Collections, Exhibitions, and Programs departments and, as part of the Directors Team, participated in all strategic planning and organizational decision-making.

As Chief Curator, Momin organized numerous exhibitions, including the museum-wide group exhibition In Plain Sight, as well as major commissions by Tala Madani, Gary Simmons, Kelly Akashi, Hank Willis Thomas, Donna Huanca, Diana Al-Hadid, and others.

Prior to joining the Henry, Momin was Director, Curator, and Co-founder of LAND (Los Angeles Nomadic Division), a leading nonprofit public art organization committed to curating site- and situation-specific contemporary art projects. In that role from 2008-2018, Momin organized over 100 exhibitions, projects, and programs with more than 300 artists, presented across the U.S. and internationally.

Previously, Momin was an Associate Curator of Contemporary Art for twelve years at the Whitney Museum of American Art (New York), where she co-curated the 2004 and 2008 Whitney Biennials and oversaw the Contemporary Projects series, in addition to serving as Director of the Whitney Museum at Altria, an off-site space, where she was responsible for organizing exhibitions and commissioning more than fifty new projects by emerging artists for both solo and thematic presentations.