The Minnesota Museum of American Art (MMAA), St. Paul, today announced that Dr. Kristin Makholm has been hired as executive director of the museum effective June 22, 2009.

A published art historian, Dr. Makholm brings 20 years of museum experience to her new

post including curatorial and research positions at the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Milwaukee Art Museum and St. Louis Art Museum. For the past five years, she has been as director of gallery and exhibition programs at the Minneapolis

College of Art and Design and program director for two MCAD-administered artist fellowship programs: the McKnight Artist Fellowships for Visual Artists and the Jerome Foundation Fellowships for Emerging Artists. Dr. Makholm also served as adjunct faculty in MCAD's liberal arts department.

"The hiring of Dr. Makholm is a very positive development for MMAA," said A. David Kelly, chairman of the museum's board of trustees. "Her experience, knowledge and scholarship will be critical to the fulfillment of our vision for MMAA's future including our focus on American art with a strong emphasis on Minnesota and regional art."

"MMAA has an historic opportunity to become something fresh, relevant and vital to a wide variety of audiences throughout the Twin Cities and our region," Dr. Makholm said.

"I believe MMAA can occupy an important niche - and fill a current gap -- in the Twin Cities visual arts scene. In addition to focusing on its distinctive collection of American art, I foresee a dynamic program that embraces the scores of exceptional visual artists -both past and present - that have ties to Minnesota and the region, a program that engages new curatorial perspectives and integrates new media and recent developments in visual art practice."

A major next step in the fulfillment of MMAA's vision for the future is the selection of a permanent home. In March 2009, the museum left its location in the Ramsey County

Government Center West, which is slated for redevelopment, and temporarily closed its public exhibition space. A site selection committee, led by past board chair Mark Hier, currently is exploring several possible venues.

"We are building a bridge to the future, and Dr. Makholm will play a critical leadership role as we work to reopen our museum," Kelly said.