The Rubell Museum in Washington, DC, on Monday named Caitlin Berry as its first director. Berry, previously the director of the Cody Gallery at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia, will oversee the museum in its new home, a 32,000-square-foot complex occupying the city’s former Randall Junior High School and slated to open to the public on October 29. An expert in Washington Color School, midcentury African American, and contemporary art, Berry will work with the Rubell family and with Juan Valdez, director of the Rubell Museum in Miami, to create exhibitions and programming at the Washington institution, with an eye to public engagement.
“The Rubell Museum DC will exclusively focus on the art of today and invite the public to encounter new ideas inspired by the nuanced expressions and lived experiences of the artists on view,” Berry said in a statement. “I look forward to expanding my work of fostering collaboration in the art ecosystem in DC and contributing to the dynamic cultural conversation that takes place here.”
At the Cody Gallery, Berry organized exhibitions on the work of Nekisha Durrett and Dave Eassa, and, and co-curated Jennie Lea Knight: Women of Jefferson Place, alongside John Anderson and Meaghan Kent. Independently, she curated solo shows for Eric Uhlir and Joseph Shetler at Culture House DC. Berry earlier served as a director at Hemphill Fine Arts in Washington. She earned her BA in art history and communications from Wake Forest University and holds a postbaccalaureate in gallery management from the same institution.
“Caitlin’s knowledge and passion for the DC arts community make her the perfect partner for weaving the museum into the city and surrounding region,” said Mera Rubell. “She is deeply committed both to artists and to making art accessible to a wide range of audiences, which is our goal in creating this museum.”
Berry assumes her new role this month.