3 Questions with Meera Chauhan, Exhibitions Assistant at Tufts University Art Galleries

In just a few sentences, please tell us about your current job.

I am the Exhibitions Assistant at Tufts University Art Galleries/SMFA. My main focus in this role is the production planning and execution of our semesterly gallery exhibitions, BFA thesis, and the great student shows we host in the Atrium, BAG, and Well at 230 Fenway. I work closely with our Curator, Laurel V. McLaughlin, and Installation Manager, David Thacker, on a daily basis, and more broadly with the rest of the amazing TUAG team over at Medford. As a relatively small team, we all wear many hats and assist with a wide array of projects across the university.

How did your arts education influence your career journey?

I began my undergraduate degree as a psychology major with a minor in studio art in pursuit of an eventual career in art therapy. As I delved deeper into my studio art courses and practice, I decided to shift my focus to painting, and in turn, pivot my career goals more towards the arts. I ended up pursuing my MFA in painting at Boston University and graduated with my master’s in 2021. From there, I worked briefly as a picture framer, and eventually made my way to TUAG after hearing about the position from a former professor. My arts education prepared me well for the realities of working closely with artists and provided me with valuable insight into university gallery systems.

What advice would you offer to a student who wants to pursue a career path like yours?

My advice for those looking to work in the gallery or museum field is to be proactive in seeking out opportunities, no matter how small they may seem. My work as a picture framer does not directly relate to the more administrative work I do daily here at TUAG, but it did give me valuable hands-on experience that is useful in a gallery setting. I would also suggest talking to as many people in the field as possible about their trajectories, and what they did to get where they are – a lot of times these trajectories aren’t linear!

By Katie Sullivan
Katie Sullivan Assistant Director