Rangsook Yoon, the senior curator at the Sarasota Art Museum (SAM), is departing her role to join the Frye Art Museum in Seattle as the senior director of curatorial affairs. Yoon will conclude her tenure at SAM on May 1, following the opening of the major loan exhibition "Something Borrowed, Something New," which features works by blue-chip artists like Louise Bourgeois and Ai Weiwei. Her move to Seattle follows a successful two-year period in Sarasota where she curated high-profile shows and participated in regional collaborations like Skyway 2024.
This transition is significant for both institutions as Yoon brings specialized expertise in the Munich Secessionists, a core focus of the Frye Art Museum’s founding collection. Her departure marks a leadership shift for SAM, a relatively young contemporary art museum established through a partnership with Ringling College of Art and Design. The move highlights the fluid movement of curatorial talent between regional American art hubs and the importance of academic specialization in institutional hiring.