Aimee Ng Embarks on a Fresh Chapter at the Frick Collection

Many assume the Frick is frozen in time, a place untouched by change, Aimee Ng reflects. Yet I truly believeand I hope this doesnt sound overly mysticalthat each new visitor, regardless of background, sparks a conversation with these works that has never occurred before.

Ng herself embodies this notion of renewal. In October, she was appointed the Frick Collections Peter Jay Sharp Chief Curator, a well-earned advancement following a decade of curatorial dedication at the museum. Her tenure has been nothing short of transformative.

Over the past ten years, Ng has overseen significant exhibitions, including the 2019 Moroni survey and the 2023 Barkley L. Hendricks showcase, alongside a massive $220 million renovation. This extensive project took five years and included a temporary reinstallation of the collection in the Brutalist Marcel Breuer building on Madison Avenue. It has felt like living three lives in one, Ng remarks.

Now, stepping into her leadership role, Ng continues to prioritize the art itself, while embracing the unique perspective she brings as the Fricks first female chief curator and the first of Asian heritage. In my work, I strive to let the objects and stories speak, rather than drawing attention to my identity, she says. Yet inevitably, my viewpoint allows me to uncover narratives that might otherwise go unnoticed. A portrait of a white European figure, for instance, can reveal intertwined historiesfrom ultramarine mined in northern Afghanistan to silk originating in India. My goal is to explore and share these hidden stories through the objects beauty.

Author: Caleb Jennings