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.

Kluge-Ruhe Staff and Faculty

Photograph by Josh Tanner.

Nici Cumpston OAM

Director

cvq7sy@virginia.edu

Bachelor of Visual Arts, University of South Australia; Advanced Diploma in Applied and Visual Arts, North Adelaide School of Art

Nici is a proud Barkandji artist, curator, writer and educator whose family are also of Afghan, Irish and English descent. Barkandji are the river people who belong to the Barka, the Darling River in far western New South Wales, Australia. She prides herself in her ability to build meaningful relationships and she is passionate about supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists to develop and showcase their works of art. Before undertaking her role at Kluge-Ruhe, Nici served as the inaugural curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art at the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA) since 2008 and the artistic director of the internationally renowned Tarnanthi Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art since 2014.

Eleanore Neumann

Curator
ern5sx@virginia.edu
PhD University of Virginia; MA Courtauld Institute of Art; BA Vassar College

Eleanore is an art historian, curator, and digital humanist. In her research, she interrogates the histories of imperialism and colonialism as well as their contemporary legacies through a wide range of art and visual culture. As curator at Kluge-Ruhe, she works collaboratively with visiting artists, curators, Traditional Knowledge Holders, and scholars on exhibitions, special projects, and scholarship.

Read full bio.

Henry F. Skerritt

Associate Professor in the Department of Art and Curator of Research
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.

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 is a proud first-generation college student who has cared for museum collections at the University of Virginia for over 17 years, first at the Fralin Museum of Art (2007 – 2012) and at the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA since 2012. As Senior Collections Manager and Registrar at Kluge-Ruhe, she is responsible for the ethical care and stewardship of the museum’s growing permanent collection, library, and archive. She regularly advises peer institutions on best practices in stewardship, housing, transporting, and installing Indigenous Australian art.

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Jaimeson Daley

Manager of Education and Programs
yjq6mw@virginia.edu
EdD California State University, Sacramento; 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 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 is a practicing artist. In her role at Kluge-Ruhe, she shares the museum’s news and events with the public, designs exhibition materials, updates the website, and assists with programs and events.

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.