Last week, the Allen Memorial Art Museum announced that Jon Seydl would be taking on the position of director starting July 1. Seydl is currently working at the Krannert Art Museum at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and has previously worked at the Getty Museum and the Cleveland Museum of Art. He will succeed Andria Derstine, who stepped down from her position in December 2024.

“It is beyond thrilling to join the brilliant team at the Allen Memorial Art Museum,” Seydl said in a press release. “Its vibrant student and faculty engagement is the gold standard for university art museums.”

Associate Professor of African and Black Atlantic Art History and Chair of Art History Matthew Rarey spoke to how Seydl’s appointment may impact the Art History department, reflecting on Derstine’s commitment to the teaching function of the museum on Oberlin’s campus.

“One of the real hallmarks of Andria Derstine’s tenure was the expansion of the museum’s pedagogical role on campus,” Rarey wrote in an email to the Review. “She supervised three different Curators of Academic Programs (Hannah Kinney and now Emily French) who each really envisioned, and put into practice, ways the museum could be an asset across campus.”

Given Seydl’s background at a variety of institutions in both academic and curatorial positions, he has the potential to continue to carry out Derstine’s vision.

Rarey hopes Seydl will continue the Allen’s commitment to diversifying its collections to reflect the course offerings, commitments, and research interests of students and faculty in the Art History department.

“The department now has specialists in the arts of the Americas; Africa and the Black Atlantic, East Asia, Europe and the Mediterranean; and the Islamic world,” Rarey wrote. “And every faculty member teaches across multiple geographies and subfields, which makes Art History at Oberlin one of the most geographically and methodologically diverse departments of its kind at a liberal arts college in the U.S. That diversity impacts what courses we offer students; the kinds of questions we bring to the classroom; and the post-graduate pathways our graduates take.”

Rarey also expressed his eagerness for Seydl’s directorship.

“As Jon Seydl joins Oberlin, I look forward to working closely with him and the AMAM curators to keep re-envisioning the AMAM’s critical role as a laboratory not just for art historical pedagogy, but for developing research and pre-professional opportunities for students who think expansively about what art history is and can be, and what one can do with an art history degree,” Rarey wrote.

As much as Seydl will impact the College’s Art History department, his true jurisdiction lies over the museum itself. Laura Baudot, senior associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, chaired the search committee. Part of what drew her to Seydl was how well she foresaw him fitting in with the Oberlin community.

“The search committee was really struck by Jon’s deep love of learning and his kindness — two qualities that really resonate with Oberlin values,” Baudot wrote in an email to the Review.

Another important factor in Seydl’s directorship is his experience working at the Cleveland Museum of Art, making him familiar with the kind of audience the Allen draws, especially considering the frequent collaborations between the two institutions.

“I love the connections between the CMA and the Allen because it honestly opens a lot of opportunities,” Gallery Guide and College third-year Audie Wilson said. “When I did the [Winter Term Gallery Guide] practicum, we went to the CMA and met with lots of the staff, and a lot of [the CMA and Allen staff] know each other.”

Following Derstine’s tenure, Katie Solender took over as interim director. She echoed similar sentiments of optimism for Seydl in the role.

“It is inspiring to see the dedication and collaborative spirit that the Allen’s staff bring to their work every day,” Solender wrote in an email to the Review. “I’m confident this will be a solid foundation as they move forward with Jon’s leadership.”

Seydl’s tenureship marks a new era for the Allen. The museum will have been going through directorial turnover for almost a year at the start of his appointment. With a new director come new programs, ideas, and visions. The Allen staff and the College’s Art History department are both eager to see what Seydl brings to the Allen, with high hopes for the museum’s continued success and prosperity.