The Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh has appointed art historian, curator, and writer John Tain as its director of curatorial affairs, effective December 8. In his new role, Tain will helm the curatorial department, working alongside director Eric Crosby to shape the institution’s artistic program and collection.

Tain brings with him a wealth of curatorial and leadership experience. After serving as a curator for modern and contemporary collections at the Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2007–17), he joined Hong Kong’s nonprofit Asia Art Archive (AAA) as head of research (2017–23). In 2024, he oversaw the third edition of the Lahore Biennale, “Of Mountains and Seas.” Aside from being an editor for Intersecting Modernisms, Tain is also a council member of Asia Forum—a collateral event at the Venice Biennale which platforms Asian and Asian diasporic artists—as well as an advisor to both the Hauser & Wirth Institute and the Flow of History: Southeast Asian Women Artists research program, which spotlights the diverse practices of Southeast Asian female artists from the 18th century to the present day.

Among his various projects, he notably organized AAA’s “Translations, Expansions” exhibition at documenta fifteen (2022), which presented archival materials and works by artists from across Asia. 

Joan Yiquan Chen is an editorial intern at ArtAsiaPacific.