Michael Goodson named senior curator of exhibitions

Michael Goodson will be the senior curator of exhibitions at the Wexner Center for the Arts effective July 1, 2016. Goodson is currently the director of exhibitions at the Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD).

As Director of Exhibitions at CCAD’s Beeler Gallery, Goodson organized such single artist exhibitions as Charles Atlas: The Waning of Justice; threeASFOUR: Topographic; Fred Tomaselli: New York Times; Dennison W. Griffith: Another World; Donald Moffett: The Radient Future; and Diana Al-Hadid. Group shows include My Crippled Friend with work by Mary Heilmann, Rich Aldrich and Cheryl Donegan, among others; Sitter, featuring work by Dawoud Bay, Rineka Dijkstra, Robert Beck, and Catherine Opie; and WALL, featuring work by Sol LeWitt, Jennifer Steinkamp, Nari Ward, and Jim Hodges. Goodson previously served for several years as exhibition director at the James Cohan Gallery in NY, where he undertook shows featuring the work of Robert Smithson, Beatrize Milhazes, Yinka Shonibare, Trenton Doyle Hancock, and Roxy Paine, among many others.

Notes Wexner Center Director Sherri Geldin, “Michael’s exceptional work at CCAD over the last five years has dramatically transformed the gallery and visiting artist program there. In addition to organizing smart exhibitions featuring notable emerging and mid-career artists, he oversaw the complete renovation of the college galleries, including a new 99-seat screening space for video projection. Michael has earned the respect and admiration of artists, curators, critics and academic colleagues locally and beyond, while helping to significantly raise the caliber and profile of CCAD’s exhibition and lecture programs. We’re delighted to welcome him to the Wex!”

“From the Wexner Center’s brilliantly realized exhibitions to its venerable legacy of artists residencies to its world class film, video and performance programming, it truly is a place of wonder and contemplation. There are really very few places like it regionally, nationally, or internationally and I am proud join the dedicated staff that makes all of this possible,” says Goodson.

As senior curator of exhibitions, Goodson will work closely with Geldin and the center’s program team to help shape a dynamic and rigorous exhibitions program, oversee commissions and visual arts residencies, collaborate on cross-disciplinary initiatives within the center and across the university, and cultivate an engaged audience for the center’s exhibitions and related programs.

Goodson earned an M.F.A. in sculpture from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and a B.F.A. in sculpture from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.

Media contact: Erik Pepple, epepple@wexarts.org or 614-292-9840