I need to make one thing absolutely clear about today’s post: I did not grow up a Star Wars fan. I didn’t see any of the movies until I was in my thirties, and didn’t know any of the characters beyond the really famous ones. I’ve caught up on a lot of the media since… Continue reading A Star Wars Blanket for Brandon
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Unpopular Art
Back in 2020, when I knew I wanted to visit the Walker Art Center but wasn’t sure when it would happen due to the pandemic, the head archivist sent me the finding aids for its WPA-era materials. Some of those aids included the folders for exhibitions staged in the early 1940s, when Walker was a… Continue reading Unpopular Art
Museums & Crisis: September Update
A few weeks ago I told you about the course I’m teaching this fall, Museums & Crisis. Let’s take a look at what we’ve been doing. The first weeks of class were primarily an opportunity to lay down foundations regarding museums, their history, and how they operate. One of the reasons why I stuck to… Continue reading Museums & Crisis: September Update
Dissertation Work, September Update
As with last month, I’ve continued working my way through the Holger Cahill papers, perusing field reports, correspondence, memoranda, and other kinds of documents. Let’s take a look at some of the things I’ve learned. Although each of the art centers had their own unique issues in terms of local politics and logistical challenges, I’ve… Continue reading Dissertation Work, September Update
On View II: Rhonda Holy Bear, Artist and Story-Keeper
Last week I talked about the Doll Gallery reinstallation at the Barry Art Museum, which included the formation of a new temporary space for rotating shows. Today, we’ll look at the inaugural exhibition for that space, Rhonda Holy Bear: Artist and Story-Keeper. This show came together at the same time as the Doll Gallery, our… Continue reading On View II: Rhonda Holy Bear, Artist and Story-Keeper
On View I: Doll Gallery Reinstallation
I few months ago I had mentioned that I was working on a couple of projects with the Barry Art Museum after wrapping up Motion/Emotion. Last week we officially opened those projects to the public. For the next couple of weeks then, I’ll take you through what we’ve been working on together. Today, we’ll look… Continue reading On View I: Doll Gallery Reinstallation
This Year’s Assistantship: Teaching Museums and Crisis
Since coming to William & Mary, I’ve been able to participate in a variety of assistantships. Whether I’ve been inventorying maps at the Mariners Museum, organizing virtual conferences with the Equality Lab, or guiding students with career readiness at the Cohen Career Center, I’ve been able to expand my professional experiences while approaching the work… Continue reading This Year’s Assistantship: Teaching Museums and Crisis
Dissertation Work, August Update
Like last month, my dissertation work of late has focused on processing archival documents. While my work in July concentrated on the Walker Art Center, this month I’ve been taking a broader look at the Community Art Center Project itself. I started the month by wrapping up the Walker Art Center archives. Since its first… Continue reading Dissertation Work, August Update
The Imagery of the Archive: Letterhead
If you’ve been following this blog in any capacity for the last few weeks, you’ll know that I’ve been making my way through hundreds of documents associated with the Walker Art Center. Like any archive, it’s got its quirks in terms of inclusions and omissions, but one thing that’s stood out to me from a… Continue reading The Imagery of the Archive: Letterhead
Deleting Facebook
In the spring of 2008, shortly before I graduated from college, I made my initial foray into social media by opening a Facebook account. Fourteen years later, I deleted it. If Meta is to be believed, it was permanently erased on July 31. I had several reasons for deleting my account, from concerns over privacy… Continue reading Deleting Facebook