Marisa Sánchez Named Patterson Sims Fellow
Every year SAM singles out one curator for outstanding work in the previous year. The recipient is named the Patterson Sims Fellow, in honor of our former chief curator. The award comes with a $5,000 grant to spend as the recipient desires. It is a decision that is never easy, because of the consistently high level of excellence and dedication embodied by our curators.Please join us in congratulating the 2011 Patterson Sims Fellow, Marisa Sánchez.
Marisa has been an assistant curator at SAM since 2007. Last year she curated the Seattle presentation of the Amy Blakemore photography exhibition and oversaw the commission of A Better Promise, Trenton Doyle Hancock’s great installation at the Olympic Sculpture Park. She curated the haunting Andy Warhol exhibition, one of the most contemplative and poignant Warhol exhibitions in memory. She has always worked at a very high level of seriousness, thoroughness, and effectiveness.
In the past year, Marisa has gone above and beyond her already high standards for productivity. She worked closely with the five artists who contributed temporary summer installations to the Olympic Sculpture Park, an unusually hands-on project; she installed the Alden Mason exhibition, working with the artist and his representatives. On top of this, with very little notice she was assigned to produce an in-house exhibition, Reclaimed, as a companion show to Beauty and Bounty this summer.
She has made sure that the Contemporary Collectors’ Forum did not lose momentum and has brought some important acquisitions into the museum, including works by northwest artists that will be seen in Reclaimed.
Marisa’s sense of dedication and responsibility has meant that this year she has worked far beyond the level of an assistant curator and has done so cheerfully and most effectively. Please join SAM in commending Marisa for excellent work that reflects well on SAM and honors the legacy of Patterson Sims.