Mac Cooper
EDUCATION
MA, History of Art with Curating | University of London, Birkbeck
Dissertation: “The Female Nude in Black-and-White Photography, United States of America
(1929-1994).”
Emphasis on Twentieth-Century and Contemporary Photography, Contemporary & Modern Art,
Gender in the Arts
BA, Art History and Archaeology, Minor in Fine Arts | University of Missouri-Columbia
Magna Cum Laude, Emphasis on Global Contemporary Photographers, Gender and Cultural
Identity
CURATORIAL INTERESTS
Contemporary art and photography, gender and embodiment, archival practice, transnational
visual culture, and community-engaged curatorial practice.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Adjunct Instructor |Nashville State Community College | May 2026 – Present
• Taught introductory art curriculum covering elements of design, visual analysis, and key
movements in art history.
• Led class discussions and critiques to develop students’ critical thinking and visual
literacy.
Independent Curator | February 2025 – Present
• Curated contemporary art projects in collaboration with local and international artists.
• Conducted artist research, studio visits, and interviews to support exhibition
development.
• Wrote curatorial statements, artist biographies, and exhibition texts for public
presentation and publication.
• Managed exhibition planning, timelines, and coordination with artists and partner
venues.
• Mentored emerging artists through residency-style initiatives focused on exhibition
development, critical dialogue, and professional practice.
Curatorial and Publications Assistant, Special Projects | Frist Art Museum,
Nashville, TN | August 2024 – September 2025
• Coordinated artist correspondence, image licensing, interviews, and loan documentation
for 28+ contemporary artists contributing to a major institutional exhibition
• Served as lead researcher for contemporary photographers working in Tennessee.
• Conducted art historical, archival, and bibliographic research to support exhibition
development and interpretation.
• Wrote artist biographies, wall texts, and catalogue content, performed fact-checking
across curatorial materials.
• Acquired, organized, and tracked 100+ artwork images and metadata in the museum’s
digital repository.
• Supported checklist development and coordinated materials across departments.
• Assisted editor and curators with catalogue organization, production schedules, and
cross-department coordination.
• Ensured accurate image rights and reproduction.
• Entered deadlines and workflows into Basecamp to support publication and design
processes.
• Scheduled artist photography sessions and assisted in art direction for catalogue images.
Temporary Researcher | New Orleans Museum of Art and Museum of Fine
Arts, Houston | May 2025 – June 2025
• Conducted research on photographer Don Rutledge at the Southern Baptist Historical
Library and Archives in Nashville, TN.
• Examined, documented, and selected prints for exhibition and catalogue.
Curatorial Intern | Frist Art Museum, Nashville, TN | May 2024 – August 2024
• Researched Haitian history, contemporary artists, and community practices for exhibition
interpretation.
• Contributed to projects related to the Black Arts Movement in Nashville through
newspaper archives and oral histories.
• Conducted research for a women-centered exhibition and reviewed religious histories
and artifacts to support curatorial planning.
Assistant to the Director | Orr Street Studios and Gallery, Columbia, MO |
June 2022 – July 2023
• Created Internship Program & Curriculum
• Photographed artwork, artists, and gallery shows
• Organized and documented Black Art Fashion Show
• Assisted with curation and event planning
• Assisted artists-in-residence with writing artist statements
• Designed the website and social media platforms to promote art gallery
PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS
Exhibition Catalogues
Contributing author and photographer for: ‘In Her Place: Nashville Artists in the Twenty-First
Century.’ Vanderbilt University Press, Nashville, TN, 2026
Researcher for: [‘American Magazine Photographers in the Twentieth Century’]. New Orleans
Museum of Art and Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 2027
EXHIBITIONS
Curated Exhibitions
Middle Tennessee Photography Educators and their Students – Arcade Arts, Nashville, TN |
Curator, 2026
This Body, This Earth – Zeitgeist Gallery, Nashville, TN | Curator, 2026
SPECTACLE: Sean Heiser and Alexis Jones – Arcade Arts, Gallery 56, Nashville, TN | Curator,
2025
Institutional Exhibition Experience
In Her Place: Nashville Artists in the Twenty-First Century– Frist Art Museum, Nashville, TN |
Curatorial and Publications Assistant; Photographer, May 2024 – September 2025
Sister Griot: The Iconoclast Art of Barbara Bullock – Frist Art Museum, Nashville, TN |
Curatorial Assistant, May 2024 – September 2025
What the Body Carries: Florine Démosthène and Didier Williams – Frist Art Museum,
Nashville, TN | Curatorial Assistant, May 2024 – January 2025
Kindred Spirits – Frist Art Museum, Nashville, TN | Curatorial Assistant, May 2024 – January
2025
[Contemporary Tennessee Photographers]– Frist Art Museum, Nashville, TN | Curatorial
Assistant, May 2024 – September 2025
PRESENTATIONS
Speaker, “Curating and the Art World,” at Arcade Arts in conversation with Middle Tennessee
State University professors and students | May 2025
SKILLS
Art historical research, art photography, archival research, catalogue writing, interpretive
writing, metadata organization, digital repository management, image rights, artist liaison work,
exhibition development, checklist support, project coordination, Microsoft Office, Adobe
Creative Cloud, Basecamp, photography, American Sign Language
Mac Cooper 