BALTIMORE, MD — The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) has announced two significant curatorial fellowship appointments that underscore the institution’s commitment to forward-thinking scholarship and expansive approaches to museum practice. Dr. Rhea L. Combs has been named Senior Fellow in Contemporary and Global Art, while Dr. Ellen McBreen will serve as the Ruth R. Marder Center for Matisse Studies Fellow.
“These fellowships reflect our vision to create space for bold, expansive scholarship and to imagine the future of museum work,” said Asma Naeem, the BMA’s Dorothy Wagner Wallis Director. “Rhea and Ellen are brilliant scholars whose work aligns with the BMA’s long-standing commitment to innovation, experimentation, and serving our communities through art.”
Advancing Contemporary and Global Curatorial Practice
Beginning February 17, 2026, Combs will embark on a two-year, independent fellowship focused on reimagining curatorial models rooted in cultural equity, global collaboration, and contemporary practice. Her work will prioritize amplifying historically marginalized voices, fostering international cultural exchange, and deepening community engagement.
Supported by the Ford Foundation and The Hearthland Foundation, the fellowship is intentionally responsive, evolving through dialogue with artists, collectives, and institutions across the United States, Canada, Europe, and the African diaspora. Outcomes may include a publication, an international convening, or a series of exhibition concepts.
An award-winning curator with more than two decades of experience, Combs most recently served as Director of Curatorial Affairs and Chief Curator at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. Her career has centered on the power of visual culture to shape collective memory, with acclaimed projects spanning photography, film, and contemporary art. She holds a PhD in American Studies from Emory University and degrees from Cornell University and Howard University.
New Perspectives on Matisse Scholarship
McBreen began her two-year fellowship at the BMA’s Ruth R. Marder Center for Matisse Studies in fall 2025. The Center advances research and public engagement around Henri Matisse, whose work anchors the BMA’s internationally renowned collection of more than 1,600 objects—the largest public holding of the artist’s work in the world.
Working closely with the Center’s leadership, McBreen is contributing research and an essay to the catalog of an upcoming major Matisse exhibition. A professor of History of Art at Wheaton College in Massachusetts, McBreen is widely published on modern and contemporary art and has co-curated major international exhibitions. Her scholarship explores how art mediates cultural contact and exchange, bringing fresh perspectives to Matisse studies.
A Commitment to Expansive Scholarship
Together, these appointments reinforce the BMA’s role as a national leader in curatorial innovation and art historical research. By investing in scholars whose work bridges communities, cultures, and disciplines, the museum continues to challenge traditional narratives and expand access to the power of art.
Founded in 1914, the Baltimore Museum of Art serves audiences of all ages through exhibitions, programs, and a collection of more than 97,000 objects. With free general admission, the BMA remains a vital cultural anchor for Baltimore and a global destination for art scholarship and engagement.