Bakehouse Art Complex Appoints Acclaimed Curator René Morales as Senior Curatorial Fellow
Miami, FL – [July 24, 2025] – Bakehouse Art Complex (BAC) proudly announces the appointment of René Morales—former James W. Alsdorf Chief Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and past Director of Curatorial Affairs & Chief Curator at Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM)—as its first Senior Curatorial Fellow, effective August 4, 2025.
Morales, born in Cienfuegos, Cuba, and raised in Miami, brings more than 25 years of curatorial experience and a record of organizing over 50 major exhibitions, including seminal projects such as Christo and Jeanne‑Claude: Surrounded Islands, 1980–83 and the career survey Gary Simmons: Public Enemy. His leadership at PAMM included spearheading the acquisition of more than 300 works from the Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry and guiding the museum’s Latin American and Caribbean art initiatives.
“René’s visionary approach to artist‑centered curation and his deep ties to Miami’s cultural landscape make him the ideal partner as we expand and strengthen Bakehouse’s residency and public programs,” said Cathy Leff, Executive Director of Bakehouse Art Complex. “His appointment signals an exciting new chapter as we transform our historic bakery into a national model residency program that also will include and renovated Bakehouse and future redevelopment for a live-work campus.”
As Senior Curatorial Fellow, Morales will mentor and provide critical feedback to Bakehouse’s 100+ resident and affiliate artists and help craft a three‑year curatorial and programmatic roadmap aligned with the organization’s desire to invest in Miami’s talent. He also will advise on the organization’s ambitious campus redevelopment plan. He will serve as a key ambassador for Bakehouse, leveraging his extensive local, national, and international networks to elevate the artists’ and institution’s profile and forge new partnerships.
“Bakehouse embodies the spirit of experimentation and community that has long defined Miami’s art scene,” Morales remarked. “I am thrilled to collaborate with its talented artists and visionary leadership to shape programs that resonate locally while engaging global conversations.”
About René Morales
René Morales has held senior curatorial positions at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and Pérez Art Museum Miami, where he curated landmark exhibitions and expanded institutional collections. A 2019 fellow of the Center for Curatorial Leadership, he has served as a juror for the Whitney Museum’s Bucksbaum Prize and taught museum history and curatorial practice at Florida International University. Morales earned his BA from Swarthmore College and MA in Art History from Brown University.
About Bakehouse Art Complex
Housed in a historic 1926 Art Deco bakery in Miami’s Wynwood Norte neighborhood, Bakehouse Art Complex provides nearly 80 affordable artist studios, exhibition spaces, and fabrication facilities. Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2025, Bakehouse is advancing a visionary redevelopment to integrate affordable housing, public green space, and community‑driven cultural programming—ensuring artists remain at the heart of Miami’s future.
Media Contact
CathyLeff@bacfl.org
Bakehouse Art Complex