The Center for Maine Contemporary Art appoints Grant Wahlquist as curator

The Center for Maine Contemporary Art (CMCA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Grant Wahlquist as its new curator. A widely respected curator, gallerist and writer with deep ties to Maine’s arts community, Wahlquist brings nearly two decades of curatorial and critical experience to CMCA. He assumes the role this week.

Wahlquist will lead CMCA’s dynamic exhibition program, which includes 10 to 12 changing exhibitions each year — both solo and group exhibitions — that explore timely themes and ideas in contemporary art. As curator, Wahlquist will collaborate closely with executive director Robert Wolterstorff to shape CMCA’s artistic vision, develop exhibitions, and engage with the public and the broader arts community throughout Maine.

“Grant brings an extraordinary depth of knowledge, intellectual rigor and an authentic commitment to artists,” Wolterstorff said. “He has championed innovative contemporary work through his gallery in Portland, curated exceptional exhibitions and contributed meaningfully to national and international art discourse. We are thrilled to welcome him to the team at this exciting moment for CMCA.”

From 2017 to 2024, Wahlquist ran the Grant Wahlquist Gallery in Portland, representing emerging and mid-career artists from across the United States. His gallery earned national and international recognition, with exhibitions featured in Artforum, ArtNews, Architectural Digest, Beaux Arts Magazine, the Brooklyn Rail, the Boston Globe, Interview, Mousse, and many more. The gallery participated in art fairs in Los Angeles, Marseille, Mexico City, and Miami, and was a member of the New Art Dealers Alliance. Wahlquist worked at the Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA) at the start of his career, where he contributed to numerous solo and thematic exhibitions, including two editions of the California Biennial, and subsequently practiced law in New York City.

Wahlquist is also an active arts writer and critic, contributing to publications such as Aspect: The Chronicle of New Media Art, Frog, Art Ltd., and the Journal of Aesthetics and Protest. His essays and catalogue texts have appeared in support of exhibitions at CMCA, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions and OCMA.

A seasonal resident of Vinalhaven since 2009 and a full-time Maine resident since 2017, Wahlquist holds degrees from Fuller Theological Seminary, the University of Nottingham, and the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.

“During my time in Maine, I’ve come to see CMCA as one of the institutions most deeply valued by the state’s artists,” Wahlquist said. “As an artist-centered arts worker, I’m honored to join the legacy of CMCA’s past curators and to bring my international perspective on contemporary art in support of its mission. I look forward to collaborating with CMCA’s director, staff, board, and regional colleagues to present ambitious, adventurous exhibitions that move creativity in Maine boldly forward.”

Wahlquist joins CMCA’s growing team during a time of renewed vision and leadership under Wolterstorff, who began his tenure as executive director in July 2024. CMCA will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its landmark Toshiko Mori building in Rockland in 2026 and the 75th anniversary of its founding in 2027.