I am currently the Curator and Exhibition Coordinator at Montclair State University Galleries in New Jersey. Research topics include the intersection of art and social participation, ecology, revisiting historical narratives, and interdisciplinary approaches that situate art within a broader context.

Formerly I was the Assistant Curator at Wave Hill, a garden and cultural center in the Bronx, where I organized exhibitions, managed artist residencies, and produced public programs as well as steered the institution’s DEIA policies. Previously I worked as the Curatorial Production Assistant at The Shed, NY. I also worked in exhibitions at Trestle Gallery, NY, and Satellite Art Show, FL, as well as visitor services at The Queens Museum, NY.

I’ve lectured at several universities and institutions including Harvard and Pratt, as well as written for various catalogs and publications. I hold degrees from Washington University in St. Louis and the School of Visual Arts.

Jesse Firestone is a curator, producer, writer, and lecturer of contemporary art.