TOLEDO, Ohio – Anna Marley, Ph.D., currently the Chief of Curatorial Affairs and the Kenneth R. Woodcock Curator of Historical American Art at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA), has been named the Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Toledo Museum of Art (TMA). In her new role, Marley will oversee TMA’s curatorial team, helping to broaden the narrative of art history, overseeing the development relevant and impactful exhibitions and collections displays, and shaping the intellectual and artistic direction of TMA. Marley will officially join TMA on Sept. 3, 2024.  

“We are excited to welcome Anna to the Toledo Museum of Art,” said Andrea Gardner, Senior Director of Collections and Curatorial Affairs at TMA. “Her impressive background and aligned commitment to quality and belonging position her to contribute significantly to our strategy from day one.”

Eric Pryor, President and CEO of PAFA said, "Anna's departure is a bittersweet moment for us as we see her move on to such an esteemed role at the Toledo Museum of Art. Her contributions to PAFA have been immeasurable, and her influence will be felt for many years to come. Anna has been a beacon of excellence, and we look forward to watching her continue to succeed and soar to new heights. She will be quite missed, but heartily applauded from Philadelphia."  

During her tenure at PAFA, which began in March 2009, Marley curated over 16 exhibitions including field-changing projects which toured the country, such as the critically acclaimed “Henry Ossawa Tanner: Modern Spirit;” “The Artist's Garden: American Impressionism and the Garden Movement;” and “Making American Artists: Stories from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts,” currently on a six-venue national tour. Other notable exhibitions include "Public Treasures/Private Visions: Hudson River School Masterworks" (2009); "Anatomy/Academy" (2011); and "A Mine of Beauty: Landscapes by William Trost Richards" (2012), in addition to more recent exhibitions "Spiritual Strivings: A Celebration of African American Works on Paper" (2014); "Thomas Eakins: Photographer" (2016); "From the Schuylkill to the Hudson: Landscapes of the Early American Republic" (2019); and "Women in Motion: 150 Years of Women’s Artistic Networks at PAFA" (2021).

"I am honored to join the Toledo Museum of Art,” said Marley. “The collection, the curatorial team, and the community are second to none, and I am excited to be part of the leadership team at such a renowned, welcoming, inclusive and innovative institution.”

She continued, “While I am sad to leave the wonderful artistic community of Philadelphia, I will always be grateful for my 15 years of learning and growing at PAFA, and I’ll miss all the dedicated and passionate people I’ve had the good fortune to work with. I am particularly grateful to our national trustee Kenneth R. Woodcock for endowing the position of Curator of Historical American Art so that the interpretation and care of PAFA's remarkable collection will continue beyond my time at the institution."

Marley’s approach to collecting had a transformative effect on PAFA, bringing works into the collection by artists as diverse as Edward Bannister, George Beck, Albert Bierstadt, Mary Cassatt, Frederic Edwin Church, Thomas Cole, Lillian Westcott Hale, Harriet Hosmer, May Howard Jackson, Thomas Moran, Violet Oakley, Elizabeth Oakie Paxton, Emily Sartain, Lily Martin Spencer, Henry Ossawa Tanner, and Patience Wright.

Marley has served as Chair of the Association of Historians of American Art (2014-2016), was the US Liaison for the AAMC Foundation Engagement Program for International Curators (2016-2018), and a Visiting Professor for the Mellon Foundation Curatorial Track Ph.D. program at the University of Delaware (2017). She was also a Center for Curatorial Leadership Fellow (2020) and served on the advisory board of the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at Vassar College (2015-2020). She currently serves on the advisory board of the Smithsonian Archives of American Art Journal and on the University of Delaware Graduate College Advisory Board.

A distinguished scholar of American art and material culture from the colonial era to 1945, she holds a B.A. in Art History from Vassar College, an M.A. in Museum Studies from the University of Southern California, and a Ph.D. from the University of Delaware.

About Toledo Museum of Art

Established in 1901, the Toledo Museum of Art (TMA) is a beloved cultural institution in Toledo, Ohio, and a global leader in the museum field. We believe that art transforms people’s lives and invites them to see differently. Admission to the museum is always free and TMA is open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and certain holidays. The museum is located at 2445 Monroe St., one block off I-75 with exit designations posted. For more information, call 419-255-8000 or visit toledomuseum.org.

About Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is the United States’ first school and museum of fine arts. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, PAFA offers a world-class collection of American art, innovative exhibitions of historic and contemporary American art, and educational opportunities in the fine arts. The PAFA Museum aims to tell America's diverse story through art, expanding who has been included in the canon of art history through its collections, exhibitions, and public programs, while classes educate artists and appreciators with a deep understanding of traditions and the ability to challenge conventions. PAFA’s esteemed alumni include Mary Cassatt, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, William Glackens, Barkley L. Hendricks, Violet Oakley, Louis Kahn, David Lynch, and Henry Ossawa Tanner. Learn more at PAFA.org.

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MEDIA CONTACTS

Toledo Museum of Art
Doreen Cutway
dcutway@toledomuseum.org
419-255-8000 x 8131

Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
Katherine Blodgett, for PAFA
katherineblodgett@gmail.com
215-431-1230