2014 / USC selects LACMA’s assistant curator as new director of Pacific Asia Museum

USC Pacific Asia Museum announces Christina Yu Yu, assistant curator of Chinese art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, to become new director of the museum as of August 1.

Christina Yu Yu

Christina Yu Yu, new director of USC Pacific Asia Museum (Photo/Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images)

 “Christina was selected from a highly talented pool of candidates to lead the USC Pacific Asia Museum,” said Elizabeth Garrett, University Southern California provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.

“Her experience in researching and curating Asian art at prestigious institutions is coupled with her ambitious vision for expanding the museum’s influence among our university, local and global communities. She is the right leader to ensure that USC PAM reaches new heights as part of USC Arts.”

At LACMA, Yu Yu was instrumental in forming collaborations with the museum’s education department on all educational and outreach program related to Chinese art and culture. She joined LACMA in 2011.

Previously, Yu Yu held positions with the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and Museum of Modern Art. She also was on the curatorial team at the Yokohama Museum of Art in Japan and the International Center of Photography in New York.

Yu Yu was born and raised in China, went to Wellesley College for her undergraduate studies and then earned a PhD from the University of Chicago with a dissertation on Yuan Dynasty painting.

She is fluent in Chinese, Japanese and English.