Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw Named Inaugural Arthur Ross Gallery Faculty Director

Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw, Class of 1940 Bicentennial Term Professor in the Department of History of Art, was named the inaugural Arthur Ross Gallery faculty director, effective June 1. “Gwendolyn is the ideal leader to bring together the work of the Gallery with our missions of research, teaching, and learning,” says Provost John L. Jackson, Jr.

A renowned scholar and teacher of American art who has been at Penn for almost 20 years, Shaw is also a highly experienced curator. She has served at the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution as senior historian; director of research, publications, and scholarly programs; and acting chief curator.

She has curated or been the primary editor of catalogues on dozens of major shows, including “Represent: 200 Years of African American Art,” “Every Eye Is Upon Me: First Ladies of the United States,” and a forthcoming exhibition as part of America’s 250th birthday celebrations in 2026 at the Arthur Ross Gallery. She is also the author of The Art of Remembering: Essays on African American Art and History; Seeing the Unspeakable: The Art of Kara Walker; and numerous major essays and reviews.

“As the inaugural faculty director of the Arthur Ross Gallery, I plan to foster creativity and critical thinking, providing a platform for individual expression and a welcoming space for collective learning,” Shaw says. “I see the Ross as a unique space on campus where we can lift up the work of Penn’s world-class faculty, students, and alumni, as well as showcase beautiful objects and present challenging conceptual projects from across time and around the world.”