Colin Mackenzie appointed Robert P. Youngman Curator of Asian Art and Adjunct Professor of Art History

MIDDLEBURY, Vt.?Colin Mackenzie has been named the first Robert P. Youngman Curator of Asian Art and Adjunct Professor of Art History at Middlebury College. In his new position, Mackenzie is responsible for building the Middlebury College Museum of Art’s Asian collection while incorporating the collection into his teaching, scholarly research and exhibitions. Prior to his arrival at Middlebury, Mackenzie was the associate director and curator at the Asia Society Museum in New York City. Before assuming his position at the Asia Society in 1998, he was curator of Asian art at the Yale University Art Gallery from 1991 to 1995.

According to Ron Liebowitz, provost and executive vice president of the College, the new endowed position is the result of the generosity of Robert P. Youngman, a member of the Middlebury class of 1964, trustee emeritus of the College, and a benefactor of the Middlebury College Museum of Art.

“The establishment of an Asian art position both at the museum and in the art history department is an important addition to the College as a whole, strengthening Middlebury’s longstanding international focus and its rich offerings in art history,” said Liebowitz.

Richard Saunders, director of the Middlebury College Museum of Art, said, “The new position also enhances the museum’s ability to encourage the study of Asian culture-both inside and outside the classroom. We are fortunate to have Colin, with his extensive knowledge in this area, join us here at the museum.”

Mackenzie, who has written numerous museum publications on early Chinese art, has also been the organizing curator for a wide range of exhibitions on this topic, including “Inside - Out: New Chinese Art” (Asia Society, 1998), “The Jade Studio: Masterpieces of Ming and Qing Painting from the Wong Nan-p’ing Collection” (Yale University Art Gallery, 1994), and “At the Dragon Court: Chinese Embroidered Mandarin Squares from the Schuyler V. R. Cammann Collection” (Yale University Art Gallery, 1993).

Mackenzie, who is fluent in Chinese, has taught at Yale University, University of London and University of Durham.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in Chinese art and archaeology at the University of London and a doctorate in the same subject at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies.

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