Anita N. Bateman, Ph.D.

Dr. Anita N. Bateman (she/her) is the Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), where she specializes in modern and contemporary African art and the art of the African diaspora. With over a decade of curatorial experience, she has collaborated on exhibitions, publications, and acquisitions that showcase the diversity and richness of primarily African diasporic artistic expressions and histories.

Bateman holds a Ph.D. in Art History and Visual Culture from Duke University, a Master’s in Art History from Duke University, and completed her undergraduate degree in Art History, graduating cum laude from Williams College. She has held curatorial positions at the RISD Museum, the Williams College Museum of Art, and the Nasher Museum of Art. Her academic research has been supported by the American Council of Learned Societies, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, and the Social Science Research Council. Bateman was the Fall 2022 ARCAthens Curatorial Fellow and a 2022 Graham Foundation Grantee for the publication, "Where is Africa" (Center for Art, Research, and Alliances), co-edited with Emanuel Admassu. Her research interests include the history of photography, Black feminism/womanism, and the role of social media in activism and liberation work. She is passionate about engaging with artists, collectors, and audiences to foster dialogue around art and culture.
Headshot: Jakayla Monay