Fall Assistantship
Hilliard Art Museum Seeking Applications for Paid Assistantship with International Artist, August 27–Sept. 10
Apply Now
Overview
The Hilliard Art Museum invites aspiring arts students and professionals to apply for a two-week assistantship with internationally renowned artist Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir, also known as Shoplifter as she prepares her upcoming fall exhibition. In her colorful, site-specific installation commissioned for the Hilliard, the artist challenges how we experience art and nature in the digital age, tapping into fundamental human needs for wonder, contemplation, and spiritual renewal.
During this assistantship, one can expect to work closely with Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir along with the museum’s curatorial and preparatory staff. This temporary, project-based position is designed to provide meaningful access to museum and arts work, allowing assistants to gain hands-on experience in a creative environment and explore pathways for their own professional development as arts workers.
The optimal candidate must demonstrate a passion for the arts, a commitment to pursuing a career as an artist or cultural professional, and strong teamwork skills.
Duties for this project include but are not limited to assisting with the installation and handling of artwork elements including working with experimental materials and fibers; willingness and comfort with working on scissor lifts; willingness and ability to work on their feet for extended periods of time; the ability to take clear direction; the ability to maintain a great sense of humor and positive morale; and flexibility in work schedule for a period of two weeks. Strong problem solving and communication skills are crucial.
Program Details
- Assistantship Dates: August 27–September 10, 2025
9 a.m.–5 p.m. daily
- Ideal applicants’ schedules are available either Monday/Wednesday/Friday, or Tuesday/Thursday, or available five days per week for the project. If your schedule is limited, please note that in your application.
- Required training with artist on Wednesday, August 27, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Application Requirements
For the application, we ask you provide:
- Brief Narrative: Describing your long-term goals and why you are interested in applying to this program
- Artist bio: Tell us about your professional career
- Work samples: Representing your creative practice
- Artist statement: Describing your creative practice (What do you make, why do you make it, and how do you make it/process?) and provided work samples.
How to apply:
Applicants accepted through August 11th at 11:59 p.m.
Applications to be reviewed by the Hilliard Art Museum curatorial team.
All applicants will be notified by August 18.
Questions? Please contact us at hilliard@louisiana.edu.
About the Artist:
Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir, also known as Shoplifter, is one of Iceland’s leading contemporary artists, based in New York. Working with both synthetic and natural hair, her sculptures, wall murals and site-specific installations explore themes of vanity, self-image, fashion, beauty and popular myth. For Shoplifter, hair is the ultimate thread that grows from our body. Hair is an original, creative fiber, a way for people to distinguish themselves as individuals, and often an art form.
Shoplifter represented Iceland at the Venice Biennale in 2019 and her installation Chromo Sapiens opened at the Icelandic Pavilion in May 2019 in Venice, Italy. The installation later traveled to Iceland, opening at the Reykjavik Art Museum in January 2020. Shoplifter is the co-founder of Höfuðstöðin, a new art center in Reykjavik, Iceland, where her installation Chromo Sapiens is permanently located.