The Mattatuck Museum has appointed Cecelia “Keffie” Feldman, Ph.D. as Chief Curator, announced Museum Director Bob Burns. “The Museum is delighted to welcome Keffie Feldman to lead its curatorial team,” states Burns. “The breadth of her knowledge and experience mirrors both pillars of the Museum’s mission—history and art -- and she will be an exceptional leader for our growing exhibition program and collection, and we can’t wait to see her many contributions.” 

The Chief Curator is a member of the Museum’s senior management team, actively participating in shaping the organization’s vision and mission while directing its exhibition program. Feldman will lead the effort to build, present, care for, and conserve the Museum’s collections, and is responsible for the support and content of the exhibitions and related efforts. She manages the Curatorial Department which includes the Assistant Curator, Collections Manager/Registrar, and Archivist/Librarian, and all aspects of department operations.

Keffie Feldman works at the intersection of academia and the public humanities, blending her training in archaeology with her experience in museum curation and education to create a fresh and dynamic approach to the arts and visual culture. She holds a Ph.D. from Brown University (Joukowsky Institute of Archaeology and the Ancient World), and a B.A. in Art History and Archaeology from Tufts University. Her academic research has explored how visual and material culture connected to the management and use of water can reveal insight into cultural dynamics, particularly in instances of imperialism. She has conducted field research all over the Mediterranean, perhaps most notably at the sites of Pompeii and Ostia Antica (Italy), Ephesos and Pergamon (Turkey), and Petra (Jordan). She has worked at the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College, the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum, and produced projects at the Worcester Art Museum. In addition to her academic and museum work, she also engages with the public through popular media. She has appeared in the documentary “Petra – Lost City of Stone” (PBS/NOVA) and on the Science Channel Program “What on Earth?” Sharing the value of the arts and visual culture with a range of audiences and supporting and promoting cutting-edge research are essential parts of her work.

“I am thrilled to join the team at the Mattatuck Museum as Chief Curator,” says Feldman. “I believe an appreciation for the diversity of human expression is critical for a just and equitable society, and The MATT creates an important space to engage the community in dynamic and impactful encounters with art and history. I am excited lead the curatorial department in building the collection and developing an exhibition program that celebrates the history and reflects the concerns of Waterbury’s diverse community and 21st century audiences.”

Feldman has arrived at an exciting time for the Mattatuck Museum. The Mattatuck Museum has a robust exhibition schedule for 2022. Janet Maya: Women/Strength/Beauty and Focus On the Makers: Samplers, Needlework, and Quilts are on display now. The Mattatuck Museum’s 7th Annual juried member’s exhibition MIXMASTER will open to the public on Sunday, January 30, 2022. Upcoming spring exhibitions include The Village Project and Two For the Road: Ernest Roth and Andre Smith in Europe. Feldman’s background in academic archaeology, history, and work in art museums provides a bridge for the elements of the Mattatuck collection.