GRAM names chief curator

GRAM names chief curator

Ron Platt. Courtesy Grand Rapids Art Museum

A man who has committed his career to the curation of art around the country is the new chief curator at the Grand Rapids Art Museum.

The GRAM said last month that Ron Platt has filled the role.

"Ron Platt will be a significant addition to GRAM’s leadership team," said Dana Friis-Hansen, director and CEO, GRAM. "I am confident that he will lead us to a new level with our collections, exhibitions and programming. He will be a huge asset to the institution, as he helps us implement our mission and strategic plan with energy and thoughtfulness."

Platt said that he seeks to “connect with — and help expand — our audience through excellence and innovation, in terms of exhibitions, acquisitions and related programs.”

“One of my immediate priorities will be to immerse myself in the West Michigan community of artists, designers and civic and cultural institutions, in order to keep forging meaningful connections between GRAM and the community,” Platt said.

Curation experience

Previously, Platt spent seven years as a curator of modern and contemporary art at the Birmingham Museum of Art.

He also spent five years as a curator for the Weatherspoon Art Museum at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

He began his career as curatorial assistant for List Visual Arts Center, followed by time as a curator at the Southeastern Center of Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Platt holds a bachelor’s degree in American studies from the University of Maryland and an M.B.A. in arts administration from Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass.