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Faiz Mohammad, PMA Director of Protection Services, recently celebrated his 35th year with the museum. I had a chance to sit down with him for an interview, offering me a great look at what the museum and Portland looked like in 1983, where the museum is heading, and what he enjoys most.
Faiz, thank you for taking some time to answer my questions. To start, can you tell me what the PMA was like when you started?What has changed the most about the museum for you?
For you, what has changed the most about Portland in general? Congress Street was much busier; that changed with the arrival of the Maine Mall. There were fewer immigrants. The immigrant population was so small that the supermarkets at the time didn’t stock hot sauce.
Where do you think the museum will be in 35 years?
Can you tell me who is your most memorable guest of the museum and what made their visit so memorable?
And which exhibitions are most memorable for you and why? Weatherbeathen: Winslow Homer and Maine stands out as one of the most memorable exhibitions. It was connected to the opening of the Winslow Homer Studio on Prouts Neck. The opening of the McLellan House and Your Museum, Reimagined were other moments that were memorable for their excitement and how many people came to see them.
Currently, what do you enjoy most about your position at the museum? I really enjoy the responsibility of protecting the art, staff, and patrons. I have a tremendous team of guards who do their jobs very well. Also seeing art exhibitions behind the scenes is exciting; it’s provided an education in art.
When you're not at work, what do you enjoy doing? I enjoy jogging and I will be running in an upcoming relay. I also like brain games, and reading nonfiction, especially on the topic of art theft.
Nathan is a Massachusetts native who, with his wife, Robin, moved to Portland in 2017 without friends or family in Maine. It has turned out to be an excellent decision. Prior to joining the Portland Museum of Art, he worked in building and servicing guitars, and rebuilding grand pianos. He has self-published a book on pocket knives that was illustrated by his wife, and completed a manuscript on musical semantics. Nathan enjoys spending his spare time with Robin, enjoying all that coastal Maine has to offer.