Idurre Alonso Appointed to Head of Modern and Contemporary Collections at the Getty Research Institute
Ms. Alonso will oversee the GRI’s largest collecting area and will supervise associated curators and staff
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Getty announced today the appointment of Idurre Alonso to Head of Modern and Contemporary Collections at the Getty Research Institute.
“We are thrilled to see Idurre take on this important role,” said Andrew Perchuk, Interim Director of the Getty Research Institute. “Her extensive experience and outstanding scholarship make her uniquely qualified to lead the curatorial team, and we’re confident she will elevate its work to new levels of excellence.”
Ms. Alonso has served as Curator of Latin American Collections at the Getty Research Institute (GRI) since 2015, where she has played a pivotal role in advancing scholarship, acquisitions, and curatorial innovation in the fields of Latin American and Latinx art.
Her exhibitions at the Getty have received widespread recognition, including Alfredo Boulton: Looking at Venezuela, 1928–1978 (2023) and Reinventing the Américas: Construct, Erase, Repeat (2022), both celebrated for their groundbreaking scholarship and for challenging traditional exhibition narratives. In these projects, Alonso introduced new methods of display while incorporating local and Indigenous perspectives, reinforcing her commitment to reframing dominant histories.
Ms. Alonso’s leadership has also extended internationally. She co-leads the Latin American and Latinx Art Initiative (LALAI), fostering scholarly and institutional collaborations to strengthen global networks in the field. Her exhibitions Photography in Argentina: Contradiction and Continuity (2017) and The Metropolis in Latin America, 1830–1930 (2017) were the first Getty shows to travel to Latin America, an unprecedented milestone for both the Getty Museum and the GRI.
During her tenure, Ms. Alonso has spearheaded the acquisition of more than 150 new additions to the collection, including significant archives that have helped reshape the institution’s holdings. Her curatorial approach has focused on diversifying the Latin American and Latinx collections by amplifying the voices of underrepresented artists—particularly women such as Alice Rahon, Grete Stern, and Gertrudis de Moses—and addressing historical omissions.
Before joining the Getty Research Institute, Ms. Alonso served as Curator at the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) from 2003 to 2014, where she organized a wide range of exhibitions. She holds a BA and MA in Art History from the Universidad del País Vasco in Spain, where she also earned her Ph.D. Ms. Alonso has edited seven books and regularly presents her research at major international conferences and symposia, including those organized by the College Art Association (CAA), the Association for Latin American Art (ALAA), and the Western Museums Association.
“I am honored to take on this new role and to continue expanding the scope of modern and contemporary collections at the GRI. I look forward to deepening our commitment to inclusive and globally connected narratives, and to working with an extraordinary team to build on the strong foundation we have established over the years,” said Idurre Alonso.