Who We Are

The Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection is the only museum outside of Australia dedicated to the exhibition and study of Indigenous Australian art.

Our Vision

A world in which Indigenous peoples are listened to, and their arts and cultures are honored and celebrated.

Our Mission

To expand knowledge and understanding of Indigenous Australian arts and cultures to cultivate greater appreciation of human diversity and creativity.

Our Values

We believe we can best fulfill our Vision and accomplish our Mission by living these values daily:

We respect Indigenous people as the authorities on their art and culture, and we strive to amplify their voices
We collaborate with partners across the globe to deepen our impact and extend our reach
We create inclusive and welcoming environments that promote cross-cultural dialogue
We aim to inspire discovery through research and experiential learning
We steward all of our resources – our collections, facilities, staff and volunteers – with care and respect.

To read our statement on the events of August 11 and 12, 2017 in Charlottesville, click here.

Kluge-Ruhe Staff and Faculty

Margo Smith AM

Director
mws2d@virginia.edu
PhD University of Virginia; MA University of Virginia; BA College of William and Mary

Margo is an anthropologist who conducted fieldwork in central Australia in 1991-1993 and has worked with the Kluge-Ruhe Collection since 1995. She co-edited Art from the Land: Dialogues with the Kluge-Ruhe Collection of Australian Aboriginal Art with Dr. Howard Morphy.

Eleanore Neumann

Associate Curator
ern5sx@virginia.edu
MA Courtauld Institute of Art; BA Vassar College

Nicole Wade

Senior Collections Manager and Registrar
anw9s@virginia.edu
MA University of New Mexico; Graduate Certificate – George Washington University; BA University of Virginia

Nicole ensures the proper care and preservation of the permanent collection, managing the exhibition, storage, conservation, and record keeping of each object. Having spent the last decade caring for museum collections at the University of Virginia, she brings a comprehensive background in collections management, registration, and preservation.

Jaimeson Daley

Manager of Education and Programs
yjq6mw@virginia.edu
EdD California State University, Sacramento (ABD); MFA University of Pennsylvania; BS, BFA The Pennsylvania State University

Jaimeson is an art museum educator with over two decades of pedagogical experience. His role is to facilitate engaging, positive educational experiences through the collection and programs at Kluge-Ruhe. His research focuses on narratives that promote access, equity, and inclusion in museum spaces.

Jennifer Billingsly

Fiscal and Operations Specialist
jb4tf@virginia.edu
BA College of Charleston

Jennifer has a BA in English from the College of Charleston. She has a professional background both as an art educator and practicing artist and continues to teach, volunteer and exhibit with local art organizations.

Laura Snyder

Public Engagement and Communications Coordinator
ljs7f@virginia.edu
MFA Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; BFA Rhode Island School of Design

Laura holds a BFA in Printmaking from Rhode Island School of Design and a Master’s of Visual Arts from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in Mexico City. She is a practicing artist and has led art workshops for a variety of audiences. Her research connects the arts with map-making across cultures.

Allenna West

Visitor Experience Associate
avw8e@virginia.edu
MA Liberty University; BA Old Dominion University

Allenna holds a Bachelor’s in history from Old Dominion University and a Master’s in teaching from Liberty University. A passionate educator, she has worked in Louisa County Public Schools as a special education teacher. She also has experience at Louisa Historical Society, using ArcGIS to connect enslaved African-Americans to their ancestors, and has tour coordination and event-planning experience from her time there. She is a member of the Piscataway Conoy Tribe of Maryland.

Henry F. Skerritt

Associate Professor in the Department of Art and Adjunct Curator
hfs4f@virginia.edu
PhD University of Pittsburgh; MA University of Pittsburgh; MA University of Melbourne; BA Honors University of Western Australia

Henry is an art historian and curator hailing from Perth, Western Australia. He curates exhibitions of Indigenous Australian art, and leads research and teaching initiatives at UVA using the collection’s holdings.

Kluge-Ruhe Advisory Council

Kluge-Ruhe Strategic Plan 2021-2026

UVA Administration

The Aboriginal flag, designed and copyrighted by Harold Thomas.

Djambawa Marawili teaching a UVA printmaking Class in October 2015. Photo by Tom Cogill.

UVA students in the Kluge-Ruhe galleries.

Participants engaging in a discussion about the power of art to address racial justice.

A participant in our "Joey Stories" program at the Virginia Film Festival Family Day proudly shows off his kangaroo flipbook.

Aboriginal dancer Taree Sansbury teaches Indigenous dance to children at Westhaven Community Center in Charlottesville. Photo by Tom Cogill.

Yinimala Gumana and Wukun Wanambi play clapping sticks at the Yale Club in New York City to introduce a traveling exhibition slated for 2020.