JiaJia Fei, associate director of digital marketing at the Guggenheim and a veritable art world social media sensation, has been appointed director of digital for the Jewish Museum. She will begin the newly-created position in the new year.
“I am thrilled to be back at the Jewish Museum in this new role under the leadership of Claudia Gould, and look forward to empowering and collaborating with every dimension of the museum to harness the enormous potential of digital to reach new audiences,” Fei told artnet News via email.
“The future of museums is in digital storytelling—bringing objects, individuals, and cultures to life online—so I can’t think of a better opportunity than being invited to re-imagine an institution using the tools of our time.”
Fei will work closely with both the curatorial and education teams to develop engaging digital content that brings the museum’s exhibitions and collection to life. In addition to manning social media accounts, she will also oversee the website, blog, apps, and e-communications put out by the museum.
Though she’s been at the Guggenheim for five years, this will be a return to the Jewish Museum: she worked there as a marketing associate from 2008–09, spearheading early social media efforts.
Fei’s move to this newly-created position reflects the growing importance of social media for art institutions, and a prescience on the part of the Jewish Museum for nabbing one of the most well-known pioneers in the field.
Fei has a BA in History of Art from Bryn Mawr College. She has lectured on the growing importance of social media and digital marketing strategy at CultureGeek, Fundación Proa, College Art Association, Sotheby’s Art Institute, New York University, TEDx Martha’s Vineyard, MIT Media Lab, and Museum Connections Paris.
No word on who will take over for Fei at the Guggenheim, but interested candidates would do well to start polishing up those Instagram feeds ASAP.