14.11.10
Curating in a Nutshell...
The following are a few thoughts on curating. I confess .. I cobbled these together for a position that didn't quite come through (the mayhem interjected – because of timing – would have been immense, so not altogether sorry). But I think the ideas hold up .. even with some invariable oversights (I forgot to mention schmoozing relevant and neighborhood power players .. you can avoid doing same).
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While exhibitions may rely on a variety of tools to stimulate, intrigue and engage audiences, they must at heart be driven by ideas and they must communicate meaning. To my mind, this is best achieved by a process of conceptual development that ensures the project coheres and achieves its objectives, as well as supports the larger institutional mission.
While my own curatorial interests are not limited to one particular area of study, I am driven by curiosity about the human experience – in particular, the connective threads, cultural pattern-making and systems of explanation that bind people to a place, time and series of events. I am fascinated by the odd telling details found in material culture and history, not as anecdote but in the sense that there is truth to be discovered in their analysis and juxtaposition.
In this regard, the framework – the exhibition’s architecture – is of paramount importance. In developing exhibition content, one should identify both that which renders the subject relevant to a cross-section of individuals (which can provide an entry point to learning) and relevant in a larger social sense (i.e. why should the subject matter?) While the “big message” need not be broadcast loudly, it should inform the work as it unfolds.
At times, this process requires that the curator think about, interact with and involve audiences, as comprised both of individuals and “communities,” loci of identity that in an increasingly interconnected world span from the local to the national, global and online. It is of paramount importance to partner with a variety of institutions, organizations and groups; to move beyond supposition (sometimes through the tool of evaluation); and to understand that communities are things in flux, which reconfigure, overlap and locate salience in response to an ever-changing social, economic and ideological context.
In creating exhibition frameworks, there should be room for diverse visitors to reflect and create their own associations (as well as define their own paths) and, in so doing, to arrive at their own unexpected truths. In this regard, exhibitions are not just didactic but poetic, interactive and many layered. After all, sometimes it is in the interstices or unintended conjunction that discovery takes place; thus it may be less important that a visitor leave with a boilerplate synopsis (“I learned such-and-such”) as with an aroused curiosity and a series of impressions that resonate over time.
Further to the above, the ways in which a question (or problematic) is framed can elicit thought and deepen visitor engagement, as well as provide a more trenchant experience. The goal then should be to use interpretation to stimulate the imagination and provoke conjecture for multifaceted audiences, of different ages, temperaments and backgrounds. Methods should also allow visitors to relay back their own ideas and impressions and incorporate these into the project, whether in the formative or post-launch phase. By awakening the imagination through the exposure to new ideas, visitors of all walks recognize something of their own experiences in other cultural or historic prisms, and thereby gain greater insight into their own and others’ culture, heritage and current experience.
At the same time, the role of curator is situated very much in and of the world. To begin with, there is a practical aspect to managing project work: drafting a clear statement of purpose and outlining project parameters (timelines, budget, work-plans, etc.) serves to ensure that a project meets its objectives.
Secondly, as sometimes the best ideas (or the seeds therefor) are generated during brainstorms, a collaborative approach is often of value. To this end, involving the design side early on in the conversation, as well as scholars, educators, stakeholders and others, encourages innovation and ensures all angles have been considered.
Thirdly, museum projects small and large must take into account institutional considerations and objectives. Recognizing that museums play a strategic role in society, one whose purpose is to serve the common good, one should consult regularly with senior administration.
Lastly, partnerships, with government agencies, foundations, universities and other social institutions are today integral to offering valuable learning experiences that achieve widespread inclusiveness. To this end, it is important to establish new resources, whether in the form of scholarly knowledge or professional networks of expertise or potential funding or bridges to communities and new audiences.
***
While exhibitions may rely on a variety of tools to stimulate, intrigue and engage audiences, they must at heart be driven by ideas and they must communicate meaning. To my mind, this is best achieved by a process of conceptual development that ensures the project coheres and achieves its objectives, as well as supports the larger institutional mission.
While my own curatorial interests are not limited to one particular area of study, I am driven by curiosity about the human experience – in particular, the connective threads, cultural pattern-making and systems of explanation that bind people to a place, time and series of events. I am fascinated by the odd telling details found in material culture and history, not as anecdote but in the sense that there is truth to be discovered in their analysis and juxtaposition.
In this regard, the framework – the exhibition’s architecture – is of paramount importance. In developing exhibition content, one should identify both that which renders the subject relevant to a cross-section of individuals (which can provide an entry point to learning) and relevant in a larger social sense (i.e. why should the subject matter?) While the “big message” need not be broadcast loudly, it should inform the work as it unfolds.
At times, this process requires that the curator think about, interact with and involve audiences, as comprised both of individuals and “communities,” loci of identity that in an increasingly interconnected world span from the local to the national, global and online. It is of paramount importance to partner with a variety of institutions, organizations and groups; to move beyond supposition (sometimes through the tool of evaluation); and to understand that communities are things in flux, which reconfigure, overlap and locate salience in response to an ever-changing social, economic and ideological context.
In creating exhibition frameworks, there should be room for diverse visitors to reflect and create their own associations (as well as define their own paths) and, in so doing, to arrive at their own unexpected truths. In this regard, exhibitions are not just didactic but poetic, interactive and many layered. After all, sometimes it is in the interstices or unintended conjunction that discovery takes place; thus it may be less important that a visitor leave with a boilerplate synopsis (“I learned such-and-such”) as with an aroused curiosity and a series of impressions that resonate over time.
Further to the above, the ways in which a question (or problematic) is framed can elicit thought and deepen visitor engagement, as well as provide a more trenchant experience. The goal then should be to use interpretation to stimulate the imagination and provoke conjecture for multifaceted audiences, of different ages, temperaments and backgrounds. Methods should also allow visitors to relay back their own ideas and impressions and incorporate these into the project, whether in the formative or post-launch phase. By awakening the imagination through the exposure to new ideas, visitors of all walks recognize something of their own experiences in other cultural or historic prisms, and thereby gain greater insight into their own and others’ culture, heritage and current experience.
At the same time, the role of curator is situated very much in and of the world. To begin with, there is a practical aspect to managing project work: drafting a clear statement of purpose and outlining project parameters (timelines, budget, work-plans, etc.) serves to ensure that a project meets its objectives.
Secondly, as sometimes the best ideas (or the seeds therefor) are generated during brainstorms, a collaborative approach is often of value. To this end, involving the design side early on in the conversation, as well as scholars, educators, stakeholders and others, encourages innovation and ensures all angles have been considered.
Thirdly, museum projects small and large must take into account institutional considerations and objectives. Recognizing that museums play a strategic role in society, one whose purpose is to serve the common good, one should consult regularly with senior administration.
Lastly, partnerships, with government agencies, foundations, universities and other social institutions are today integral to offering valuable learning experiences that achieve widespread inclusiveness. To this end, it is important to establish new resources, whether in the form of scholarly knowledge or professional networks of expertise or potential funding or bridges to communities and new audiences.
