“Beyond his rich expertise in the fields of contemporary and Latin American art, Tobias brings a fresh curatorial perspective and a healthy dose of enthusiasm to Miami,” said Collins.  “With construction of Miami’s first major modern contemporary art institution underway, it is now up to us to develop programs that live up to the ambition of the building itself.  Tobias’ expertise will be a valuable asset as we work to make MAM an international model for progressive museum practice, in service to the entire community.”

Ostrander’s curatorial background is expansive.  From 2001 to 2009, he served as the curator of contemporary art at Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporaneo in Mexico City where he developed an extensive program of international artists.  Prior to his work in Mexico City, he served as associate curator for inSITE 2000, a site-specific, bi-national art project for the regions of San Diego, CA, and Tijuana, Mexico.  He also held curatorial positions at XXIV Bienal de São Paulo, Brazil and several institutions in New York, including El Museo del Barrio, Camilla’s, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, Creative Time and the Museum of Modern Art.

Dennis Scholl, who serves as a MAM trustee, chair of the Museum’s curatorial search committee and vice president of arts for Knight Foundation, believes Ostrander’s background will be an ideal fit with MAM’s curatorial mission.  “Our committee searched the globe for the right person to lead MAM’s programming team and shape the Museum’s curatorial direction.  Tobias’ experience curating and designing exhibitions – coupled with his background in contemporary and Latin American art – proved to be the perfect match for MAM’s programmatic priorities and the uniquely diverse community the Museum represents.”

Ostrander attended the Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, where he received a master’s degree in Curatorial Studies and Art in Contemporary Culture.  Prior, he attended Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine where he received a bachelor’s degree in Art History and Studio Art.

About Miami Art Museum
Miami Art Museum, a modern and contemporary art museum located in downtown Miami, FL, is dedicated to collecting and exhibiting international art of the 20th and 21st centuries with an emphasis on the cultures of the Atlantic Rim—the Americas, Europe and Africa—from which the vast majority of Miami residents hail. Miami Art Museum’s educational programming currently reaches more than 30,000 people every year, with the largest art education program outside the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The new Miami Art Museum at Museum Park, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, is scheduled to open to the public in 2013. The new facility will provide room to showcase growing collections, expanded exhibition space to bring more world-class exhibitions to Miami-Dade County, and an educational complex. For more information about Miami Art Museum, visit www.miamiartmuseum.org or call 305.375.3000.

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Accredited by the American Association of Museums, Miami Art Museum is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts; with the support of Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Cultural Affairs Council, the Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners. Miami Art Museum is an accessible facility. For sign language interpretation or assistive listening devices please call Miami Art Museum’s education department 305.375.4073 at least five days in advance. Materials in accessible format may be requested.