Katie Pfohl – Museum curator is ready for the B.R. challenge

Occupation: Curator, LSU Museum of Art
Previous residence: Philadelphia
Moved here: May 2014

What brought you to Baton Rouge?
I was looking for a new challenge where I felt like I could do some unique programming and work really closely with artists and staff as well as work with art that I feel like doesn’t get a lot of play. There is this incredible international history here, too. It seemed like a real chance to show a very different version of American and Southern art, especially by looking at that international history and bringing that to light to people who live here and abroad.

Any culture shock?
It was a major culture shock. I was going out on a limb moving here. I don’t know anyone down here. I love the South, and I’ve done research projects on the South. It’s very different than life in a northeastern city, though. It’s just a matter of getting used to a whole different way things go.

What’s one big thing you’d like to see happen at the museum?
My overwhelming sense is that people just don’t know this museum is here. It’s an incredible resource for this community. We’re hoping to bring out the fact that this is a place where you can learn and have a lot of fun. It can have beer tastings and special events. We want this to be a place that belongs to the community.

How do you go about doing that?
We have to figure out what people are doing, what they like, where their energy is and how do we design a program that capitalizes on that and entices people into the museum. We’re on the cusp of doing some unique work, and I wanted to be part of new vision of what southern art and a southern art museum could be.

What is your favorite place to hang out here?
It’s a toss-up between Poor Boy Lloyd’s and Sammy’s Grill.

What do you do in your spare time?
I like to write fiction. I like to do yoga and go running. Most of what my partner Neil and I have been doing is driving to all these different small towns. We’ve been out to Eunice, St. Francisville and Donaldsonville. We’re interested in exploring all those places in Louisiana.

What is your impression of Baton Rouge so far?
It was a huge change of pace coming from all those northeastern cities, but Baton Rouge is transforming in an exciting, dynamic way. There’s nothing like living in a place that’s coming into its own. It’s a place that seems that people are working together to create a lot of interesting change.