VMFA announces new chief conservator amid its huge expansion

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) announced a new chief conservator amid the largest expansion in its history.

Kate Moomaw-Taylor is now the VMFA's chief conservator, the museum said in a June 25 press release.

"I'm delighted that Kate will lead the conservation department at a transformative time at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, [the] beginning of the largest expansion in the museum's history," said VMFA director and CEO Alex Nyerges in the release.

Moomaw-Taylor is coming from the Denver Art Museum, where she has worked since 2011, most recently serving as its senior conservator of modern and contemporary art.

She has worked as a conservator of modern and contemporary art for 18 years, focusing on sculpture, design objects and time-based media.

“Kate will advance the museum’s conservation efforts, ensuring the vital care of our greatest asset –– the works in our internationally-recognized permanent art collection,” said artistic director and chief curator Michael Taylor in the release.

Moomaw-Taylor will head the Susan and David Goode Center for Advanced Study in Art Conservation at the VMFA. Her responsibilities and obligations will include "care and treatment of the museum’s ever-growing collection of more than 50,000 invaluable works of art, ensuring
that these works remain accessible to, and are sustained for, future generations of Virginians," per the museum.

“I’m honored and excited to be appointed to this role leading a stellar conservation department at such an esteemed institution as VMFA," Moomaw-Taylor said in the release. "Conservation has a critical role to play in preparing the museum’s incredible collection for display in the upcoming expansion, and I’m eager to support the department in accomplishing this significant task, in collaboration with colleagues across the museum. I also look forward to exploring innovative ways to pull back the curtain on the fascinating work of conservation for visitors and supporters across the Commonwealth.”