In-Depth interview with art world insider Josh Baer
Baer Faxt podcast
2024
Josh sits down with Melissa Chiu, Director of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden on the occasion of the museum's 50th anniversary, and the 10th anniversary of her tenure as Director. Listen as Melissa reflects on the unique role of the national museum, their TV show, The Exhibit: Finding the Next Great Artist, and the ways artists have influenced the museum, from Hiroshi Sugimoto's new sculpture garden, to Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirror Rooms.
Art of Tomorrow
The Artist and the Institution with John Akomfrah
2024
John Akomfrah, Artist and Filmmaker
Melissa Chiu, Director, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
Moderated by Farah Nayeri, Culture Writer, The New York Times
Interview with Pearl Lam
Pearl Lam Podcast
2024
Pearl sits down with Melissa Chiu in her New York studio for an in-depth conversation about the differences between contemporary art and conceptual art, bridging the gap between East and West."
In Conversation with Homi K. Bhabha
Hawaii Triennial and University of Hawaii
2022
On the occasion of the closing of Hawai‘i Triennial 2022 (HT22) and the launch of the HT22 catalogue, Homi K. Bhabha joins HT22 curatorial director, Melissa Chiu, to discuss the publication's theme of a Pacific Century. Moderated by Susan Acret, managing editor of the HT22 catalogue.
In conversation with Jordan Casteel
Hirshhorn Museum
2021
Jordan Casteel is known for her monumental paintings of friends and neighbors painted in a style that captures the character of her sitters – a result of the relationship between the artist and her subjects. Her work sheds light on stories of everyday people and represent the scope of the human experience.
In conversation with Mark Bradford
Hirshhorn Museum
2017
"Meet the Artist" program with Mark Bradford in conversation with Director Melissa Chiu. Bradford is a Los Angeles-based artist commissioned to create a series of eight monumental collage-on-canvases that fill the inner ring of the Hirshhorn’s distinctive curved galleries. The resulting work, titled “Pickett’s Charge,” draws inspiration from the Gettysburg National Military Park’s 1883 cyclorama, which depicts the decisive moments of the Battle of Gettysburg and thus what is considered to be the pivotal turning point of the Civil War. Bradford’s artwork mixes layers of colored paper with reproductions of the original cyclorama to create a dynamic collage that spans 400 linear feet, floor to ceiling.
How Artists Predict the Future
TEDx Talks
May 17, 2017
Director of the nation’s museum of modern art, The Hirshhorn Museum, Melissa Chiu draws connections between art works and change, especially technology. By looking at the issues artists are focusing on today, and how museums are showing them, gives us insights into the momentous changes and how these could impact on our daily lives: from the immersive experience of Yayoi Kusama’s art installations that presaged virtual reality to Ai Weiwei’s use of social media for political commentary.