How does a museum curator do their job

Eric Rose · Dec 1, 2018

Great podcast.

https://slate.com/business/2018/11/sarah-meister-curator-momas-department-photography.html

Thanks to The Online Photographer for the link.

slackercrurster · Dec 1, 2018

Thanks!

Kodiak · Jan 9, 2019

At Morning they drink coffee an hour or two
After that they gnat on the sandwich
After that they are on internet "working"
Then is noon and lunch time. They return ar 3PM to "work"
Then they come to APUG.org to learn something
Then is time to make turn around the museum
Then is time to go out for dentist appointment
And this is not a joke

Photo Engineer · Jan 9, 2019

And then there are the workers at GEM (GEH) who do a full day of hard work. I know. I've seen it all in action.

PE

dmr · Jan 10, 2019

Kodiak said:
Then they come to APUG.org to learn something

LOL!

jim10219 · Jan 10, 2019

I've got a friend who was a museum curator. He quit because he could make more money giving tattoos and painting graffiti on buildings. Maybe the top museums pay well, but the smaller museums away from the cultural centers of the world don't. Still, he loved the actual work.

removed account4 · Jan 10, 2019

Kodiak said:
At Morning they drink coffee an hour or two
After that they gnat on the sandwich
After that they are on internet "working"
Then is noon and lunch time. They return ar 3PM to "work"
Then they come to APUG.org to learn something
Then is time to make turn around the museum
Then is time to go out for dentist appointment
And this is not a joke

that is not what curators do, its what most people do.
and this is not a joke.

jtk · Jan 10, 2019

jnanian said:
that is not what curators do, its what most people do.
and this is not a joke.

My sister studied @ University of California to become a professional in museum work. Her first job was with a very small museum in San Jose, CA. She had been hired immediately after graduation (BFA). She found that very rewarding and, as it happens, the first exhibition she accomplished entailed alternative prints ( I contributed large photo blueprints ). Two years later, she got a financially OK curatorial job in Illinois. After two years she took a curatorial position in Portland, OR. After a few more years she became an administrator with MOMA in NYC. Then she helped manage a nationally important classic music festival (a full time job that entailed fund raising). She then did research for a science museum...etc.

Curators often seem to have marginal incomes but they contribute wonderfully to our arts experiences.

Kodiak · Jan 10, 2019

"Curators often seem to have marginal incomes but they contribute wonderfully to our arts experiences."
In USA might be truth, in Canada NOOOOOO WAY, ZEEERO even we have ArtGalleryOntario, RoyalMuseum in Toronto, Photography Institute in Otawa, ... Even no Canadian is in high charge in ANY of them.

mshchem · Jan 10, 2019

Kodiak said:
At Morning they drink coffee an hour or two
After that they gnat on the sandwich
After that they are on internet "working"
Then is noon and lunch time. They return ar 3PM to "work"
Then they come to APUG.org to learn something
Then is time to make turn around the museum
Then is time to go out for dentist appointment
And this is not a joke

My wife recently retired. She ran a non-profit organization, The Print Center in Philadelphia. 20 plus years ago she took a leap of faith, left her roots on the east coast and came to Iowa, she was a curator of works on paper, and chief curator at U of Iowa. She worked her ass off. Raised money, took the initiative reaching out to patrons and donors. 60 hour weeks were normal.

Andrew O'Neill · Jan 10, 2019

Kodiak said:
"Curators often seem to have marginal incomes but they contribute wonderfully to our arts experiences."
In USA might be truth, in Canada NOOOOOO WAY, ZEEERO even we have ArtGalleryOntario, RoyalMuseum in Toronto, Photography Institute in Otawa, ... Even no Canadian is in high charge in ANY of them.[/QUOT

You can't speak for all of Canada.

Kodiak · Jan 10, 2019

You can't speak for all of Canada.

Canada wide, the same. No Canadian is at high position in just any high-profile gallery, but might changed during last 30 days... Try to file tax-return as an artist in Canada and see what will happen to you.

Bob Carnie · Jan 10, 2019

Kodiak said:
You can't speak for all of Canada.

Canada wide, the same. No Canadian is at high position in just any high-profile gallery, but might changed during last 30 days... Try to file tax-return as an artist in Canada and see what will happen to you.

I do not understand what you are saying here, could you elaborate?

jtk · Jan 10, 2019

Bob Carnie said:
I do not understand what you are saying here, could you elaborate?

He's not aware of Quebec.

Andrew O'Neill · Jan 10, 2019

Kodiak said:
You can't speak for all of Canada.

Canada wide, the same. No Canadian is at high position in just any high-profile gallery, but might changed during last 30 days... Try to file tax-return as an artist in Canada and see what will happen to you.

Curator in Edmonton is Canadian.

cowanw · Jan 10, 2019

Kodiak said:
"Curators often seem to have marginal incomes but they contribute wonderfully to our arts experiences."
In USA might be truth, in Canada NOOOOOO WAY, ZEEERO even we have ArtGalleryOntario, RoyalMuseum in Toronto, Photography Institute in Otawa, ... Even no Canadian is in high charge in ANY of them.

Even Marc Mayer might dispute this. He is the director of the director of the National Gallery of Canada, which is the parent of the Canadian Photography Institute. He was born in Sudbury. .Ann Thomas has been senior curator of photographs since 1994 having arrived in Canada in 1978. The Art Gallery of Hamilton's director is Shelley Falconer, from Montreal.
Since you are sooo profligate with O's and E's, you might spare an extra T for Ottawa.

BMbikerider · Jan 10, 2019

Carefully, meticulously, methodically, questioningly, and accurately.

jtk · Jan 10, 2019

If a Canadian or other nominal UK resident, or equivalent (like me in New Mexico) would like to take part in an INKJET B&W print exchange, s/he should PM me. Our long-established exchange occurs every few months...very fine photos and prints. The tricky parts are that you have to send a bunch of prints to our HQ in Edinburgh each time .(only 6 prints this time) and you MUST COMMENT considerately on each print you receive. We're into learning, not just sharing. We're NOT camera geeks, we're photographers. We currently have Brits and Scots, Americans, Aussies and New Zealanders.

Note the key word: INKJET Perhaps most of us shoot film sometimes, but they all PRINT B&W INKJET.

DREW WILEY · Jan 10, 2019

Just like any other job position. Some do it well, some perhaps not. Some know their stuff, and some are full of BS. Often, it seems, even the good ones are forced to display things they themselves think are stupid, simply because it's whatever is catchy, novel, or offensive that is likely to attract a paying attendance to the venue. That's not an ignorant stereotype - I've heard em making snide jokes about it around my own dinner table. Sadly, times are changing and museums are in a bit of trouble unless they have some big attraction from time to time. But not everyone can get ahold of Tut's mummy or the Mona Lisa. So quite a few of the Modern Art venues are resorting to in-house paintball wars and alt action flicks. Who wants to see a subtle black and white print in a frame when you can walk into a room with a giant digital screen and see the GoPro view of the last few seconds of some bat-suit rock jumpers life? .... Sorry to sound a bit bitter, but there's a major local museum that I've long admired, that I've worked with in a number of manners, but that now has resorted to giving a major show related to
local Hip Hop culture. Heck, I thought a museum would be one of the few places of refuge where a person could go to get away from that kind of thing!

MattKing · Jan 10, 2019

DREW WILEY said:
Sorry to sound a bit bitter, but there's a major local museum that I've long admired, that I've worked with in a number of manners, but that now has resorted to giving a major show related to
local Hip Hop culture. Heck, I thought a museum would be one of the few places of refuge where a person could go to get away from that kind of thing!

Somehow, I think Drew may be older than a lot of people!
If a museum has a mix of things, it isn't necessarily bad.
This is actually in reference to a gallery, but the "Guo Pei: Couture Beyond" show at the Vancouver Art Gallery is off the wall amazing: https://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/the_exhibitions/exhibit_guopei.html

Photo Engineer · Jan 10, 2019

Is there one single curator here responding? If not, I think we should shut up!

PE

Nodda Duma · Jan 10, 2019

Archaically.

*knee slap*

Andrew O'Neill · Jan 11, 2019

Photo Engineer said:
Is there one single curator here responding? If not, I think we should shut up!

PE

I was the unofficial assistant curator at Kelowna Art Gallery, in "88, '89. The curator worked her butt off to get decent shows in that little town. She spent a lot of time in meetings at city hall. There is no way that I could deal with all those politics. I preferred the grunt work of setting up shows. I've never met a curator who didn't take their position seriously.

jtk · Jan 11, 2019

Photo Engineer said:
Is there one single curator here responding? If not, I think we should shut up!

PE

Perhaps you're out of your depth.

Photo Engineer · Jan 11, 2019

jtk said:
Perhaps you're out of your depth.

Not really. I've spent a lot of time at George Eastman Museum. A place that many of you should visit if you have not already done so. Mark and Nick teach excellent workshops and travel the world to bring them to the public.

PE

How does a museum curator do their job

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