Frick Appoints New John Updike Curator
New York (February 20, 2026) — The Frick Collection today announced the appointment of Dr. Aaron Wile as its new John Updike Curator. He will take up the post on April 6, 2026.
In this senior curatorial role, Wile succeeds Dr. Aimee Ng, who became the museum’s Peter Jay Sharp Chief Curator last fall. He returns to the Frick having held a formative position as Anne L. Poulet Curatorial Fellow from 2014–16, during which he organized the acclaimed exhibition Watteau’s Soldiers: Scenes of Military Life in Eighteenth-Century France. For his work on the show’s catalogue he received the 2017 Award for Outstanding Article, Essay, or Extended Catalogue Entry from the Association of Art Museum Curators—an appropriate accolade for his new position, which is named in memory of the American novelist, poet, and critic John Updike.
Since 2019, Wile has served as Associate Curator of French Paintings at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. In this position, he has co-curated innovative installations such as Back and Forth: Rozeal., Titian, Cezanne (2025). He also helped design the Department of French Painting’s first comprehensive collection plan; spearheaded acquisitions, particularly of works by women artists; cultivated donor and collector relationships; and contributed to cross-departmental initiatives related to reinstallations and the presentation of scholarship on digital platforms.
Commented Axel Rüger, the Frick’s Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Director, “We are excited for Aaron to contribute his expertise and experience in support of the Curatorial Department as its next chapter unfolds. He joins us at a remarkable time, as this April we celebrate one year since the museum’s historic reopening following the renovation and enhancement of our buildings.” Added Aimee Ng, “Aaron brings a fresh perspective to the Frick’s collection, especially to its foundational holdings of French paintings. Since he served as a fellow over a decade ago, his curatorial and academic experiences have enhanced his considerable talents, and he returns to the museum with exceptional scholarly rigor, expert communication and interpretive skills, and seasoned and versatile professionalism. We could not be more thrilled to welcome Aaron back to the Frick as John Updike Curator.”
Prior to the National Gallery, Wile held a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Society of Fellows in the Humanities at the University of Southern California (2017–19) and a Chester Dale Fellowship at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (2016–17). He earned a BA in History from Haverford College and an MA and PhD in the History of Art and Architecture from Harvard University, specializing in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century French art.
ABOUT THE FRICK COLLECTION
Housed in one of New York City’s last great Gilded Age homes, The Frick Collection provides intimate encounters with one of the world’s foremost collections of fine and decorative arts. Open since 1935, the institution originated with Henry Clay Frick, who bequeathed his Fifth Avenue residence and collection of European paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts for the enjoyment of the public. The museum’s holdings, which encompass masterworks from the Renaissance to the late nineteenth century, have grown over the decades, more than doubling in number since the opening of the museum. The Frick Art Research Library, founded more than one hundred years ago by Henry Clay Frick’s daughter Helen Clay Frick, is today a leading art history research center that serves students, scholars, and the public.
Last spring, the Frick completed a major renovation and enhancement project and reopened on April 17, 2025, with great fanfare. Designed by Selldorf Architects, with executive architect Beyer Blinder Belle, the project was developed to honor the historic legacy and character of the Frick while addressing critical infrastructural and operational needs.
For more information, please visit frick.org.