Pippa Mott

For Australian curator, cultural producer and writer Pippa Mott, receiving the American Friends’ AusArt Scholarship has been instrumental in enabling her to complete an MA in the History of Art & Archaeology at the Institute of Fine Arts (IFA), New York University (NYU).

The first year of Mott’s program was supported by scholarships from NYU and Fulbright Australia. 'However, my second year wasn’t funded,' says Mott. 'There was a big question mark hanging over it. Without the AusArt Scholarship I wouldn’t have been able to stay on in New York and finish my degree.'

Enrolled in the Marica and Jan Vilcek Curatorial Program, Mott’s area of specialisation is modern and contemporary art and curation, and her thesis explores the large-scale, site-specific sculptural installations of Argentinian artist Adrián Villar Rojas.

'Whilst specialisation is the aim, the program encourages students to take subjects outside of their area to achieve a more rounded education,' says Mott. 'I’ve had the opportunity to study the painting traditions of early modern India, decorative arts in Edo-era Japan, 19th century French painting, the archaeology and land art of America’s South-West, the principles of painting conservation, and acquisition strategies for time-based media.'

Mott’s choice of electives speaks to her diversity of interests and career trajectory to date. Born in Melbourne and raised in Sydney, Mott completed a BA in Archaeology and Classics at the University of Sydney before undertaking field work on the island of Menorca.

Following that, she landed a short-term role as an invigilator at the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Hobart, Tasmania. 'It was meant to be a three-month summer gig and my intention was to start an MA in curatorial studies afterwards,' she says. 'But three months turned into eight wonderful years.'

Mott quickly progressed from invigilation and visitor services to public programming and curatorial.

'I began curatorial work as an project assistant in 2014 and was promoted through a range of roles, eventually taking on the position of curator in 2019. My experience gave me invaluable insight into the operations of a museum from top to bottom.'

A highlight was working with senior curator Emma Pike to co-curate the visual arts program of the popular annual music and arts festival MONA FOMA in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

'I’ve always had one foot planted in the old and one in the new, and the Museum of Old and New Art allowed me to indulge that,' says Mott.

One of the most inspiring aspects of Mott’s MA course has been the opportunity to participate in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Curatorial Practice Program. This involves 12 MA and PhD students from the IFA, Columbia University and Yale University attending weekly seminars conducted by senior museum staff, including the current Director, Max Hollein.

'There’s been an incredible transformation of the Met under Max Hollein’s leadership, and he spoke to us very transparently about how the museum’s founding ideologies and methodologies are undergoing revision. The idea of the ‘encyclopaedic’ museum, with all of its colonial and classist baggage, is now over 200 years old and being rightly challenged.'

Mott and her colleagues have also had the chance to conduct original research into art objects for high-profile exhibitions.

'I took a remarkable course with the curators of A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur, now on view at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington DC,' she says.

'We took workshops in audience engagement and exhibition design, and spent valuable time with the artworks in order to craft interpretive texts that were ultimately published in association with the exhibition. It was a great way to refresh and reset my approach to artwork interpretation whilst making a genuine contribution.'

There have been many pinch-me moments, but Mott is staying grounded and focused.

'It’s an immense privilege to study in New York,' she says. 'The IFA is on ‘museum mile’, a stone’s throw from the Met, and I can easily walk to the Guggenheim, the Frick Collection and the Jewish Museum. The proximity to these world-renowned institutions has afforded me unparalleled opportunities to engage with diverse art forms, connect with leading art professionals, and immerse myself in a unique cultural atmosphere.'

Graduating in May 2023, Mott is looking forward to returning to Australia and putting into practice all that she has learnt.

'As I approach the culmination of my program, I am equipped with not only a stronger methodological and theoretical foundation, but an expanded industry network', she says. 'I am excited to return to Australia, where there is currently a tremendous momentum behind the arts. I look forward to contributing in my own way, by applying the insights and expertise gained from this program.'