Sarah Meister is a distinguished curator, writer, and arts executive currently serving as the Executive Director of Aperture, the world-renowned photography foundation and publisher. In this role, she oversees the organization’s publishing, exhibition, and educational programs, continuing Aperture’s mission to connect the photo community with the most inspiring work, the sharpest ideas, and with each other.
The MoMA Years (1997–2021)
Prior to joining Aperture in May 2021, Meister spent over two decades at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. As Curator in the Department of Photography, she organized numerous celebrated exhibitions that expanded the canon of photographic history. Her tenure was marked by a commitment to global perspectives, particularly looking at the rich, often under-examined history of photography in Latin America.
Some of her most notable exhibitions include Fotoclubismo: Brazilian Modernist Photography, 1946–1964 (2021), which introduced audiences to the creative achievements of Brazil’s amateur photo clubs, and Dorothea Lange: Words & Pictures (2020), a critical re-examination of one of America’s most iconic documentary photographers. Meister also led the 2017 exhibition From the Collection: 1960–1969, a reinstallation of the Museum’s fourth-floor galleries.
Scholarship & Publications
Beyond the gallery walls, Meister is a prolific writer and editor. Her bibliography includes foundational texts that accompany her exhibitions, as well as contributions to independent journals. She is the author of Photography at MoMA: 1960 to Now, a key volume in the museum's history. Her research often delves into the intersection of photography and the printed page, advocating for the photobook as a primary vehicle for artistic expression.
Vision for Aperture
At Aperture, Meister brings her deep curatorial expertise to a broader platform. She is focused on strengthening Aperture’s role as a platform for diverse voices and ensuring the sustainability of the printed photobook in a digital age. Her leadership emphasizes collaboration, rigorous scholarship, and the belief that photography is essential to understanding the contemporary world.