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Erin Wilson one of our Bursary winners
From http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-10/erin-wilson-with-prints/8684780 with caption
Supplied: Devonport Regional Gallery, Robinson Collection |
The Museums Australia (Tasmania) Committee offered its members the opportunity to apply for a bursary to attend the The Museums Galleries Australia National Conference 2017. Erin Wilson, Devonport Regional Gallery and Amy Bartlett, Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery were the two recipients. This is Erin's report.
The Museums and Galleries Australia National
Conference 2017 was greatly beneficial to my role as Curator at Devonport
Regional Gallery, and I believe the insights I gained through the conference
will also greatly benefit my co-workers at both the DRG and also the Bass
Strait Maritime Centre as they are shared. I personally found the Regional and
Remote Day to be the most beneficial part of the conference, through the
insights of the international keynote speaker, reflections in concurrent
sessions from other regional galleries and museums, and the networking
opportunities and informal discussions with staff from other regional galleries.
In regard to the sessions, I
found keynote speaker from Kids in Museums, Dea Birkett’s presentation an
insightful look at how institutions such as DRG might make small but
significant changes, to increase engagement with those that consider themselves
‘non art audiences’. Though Kids in Museums is specifically aimed at families,
I felt several strategies discussed could aid increased visitation at DRG more
generally, particularly as the emphasis was on low or no cost, replicable
strategies. Strategies which could be implemented at DRG include; focusing on
comfort (physical and emotional) as much as collections; focus on sharing
stories; and approaching ‘hard to reach audiences’ in their own spaces, before
expecting them to visit the gallery. Dea’s discussion of ‘Takeover Day’ in
which young people are given significant decision making roles in institutions
on an allocated day, is also replicable in my role, particularly in relation to
our Droogs young members. Currently, the Droogs have little involvement with
the collection/curatorial side of the gallery (their activities primarily focus
on events and street art projects). Replicating ‘Takeover Day’ at DRG could
assist in moving these young members into the heart of the gallery, allowing
them to develop their skills and confidence, while providing the Gallery an
opportunity to demonstrate our trust in these young members. In addition, I found
Dea’s emphasis on the fact that there are no ‘hard to reach’ audiences, only
‘hard to reach’ museums, resonated with me in relation to the DRG, and how we
may alter our approach to ‘non visitors’.
Two further sessions on Regional and Remote Day
were particularly relevant to me in my role at DRG. Ian Tully from Swan Hill
Regional Art Gallery discussed projects undertaken by his institution in rural
communities facing economic hardship (in this case, artist residencies on farms
in times of drought). Ian discussed the need to recognise hospitality as a key
part of regional/rural life; and that even when people are not directly
interested in art, social events constructed around galleries will often be
welcomed – particularly if community members are invited to attend by friends/family,
rather than the institution. Ian also discussed the need to consider legacy as
a measure of success (rather than just attendance) as well as considering
attendance in relation to per capita. I feel these thoughts are particularly
relevant to upcoming projects I am working on using the Robinson Collection of
photographic negatives, in which an ongoing, in-depth engagement from a small
number of community members may be considered equally as valuable as large
visitation numbers for an exhibition.
Further on R&R Day, Padraic Fisher from the
National Wool Museum spoke about Reminiscence Cottage, their program for people
with dementia. This was invaluable for me, as I have not had any experience
working with people with dementia, however, it is expected that the Robinson
Collection will be used for programs with people in Aged Care facilities in
Devonport into the future. This talk included the use of photographs as prompts
for discussions of the past; focusing on conversation and social engagement
rather than ‘extracting memory’; the importance of non-verbal means to respond
as well as verbal; and introducing photographs as stories for participants to
add on to. These were all valuable insights that will allow me to best work
with the Robinson Collection in this context.
On following days, I found the concurrent session
Exhibition Design – Storytelling in Practice to be very beneficial. The
panellists in this session discussed both subliminal design and the power of
storytelling in design; found interpretation; the power of moving people’s
bodies within spaces to move their attention; and the concept of designing in
people (ie. Front desk staff and guides) in relation to experience and
storytelling. The discussion of how much energy is wasted on orientation and
environment (for example, looking for toilets/wondering about the entry fee)
was also valuable, as this energy is expended and then not able to be focused
on the exhibition. Working in a small gallery without exhibition design staff, and
as we continue to plan for our relocation in 2018 to a new gallery building, I
found this discussion around exhibition design, and building design and signage
more generally, extremely useful.
I also attended several sessions throughout the
conference which in varying ways discussed new technologies, access and the
digitisation of collections. While I found the majority of the technologies,
programs and strategies discussed were more focused on the larger state
institutions (beyond the resources of small, regional galleries) I still found it
interesting and useful to get an insight into the way these new technologies
are being used to increase access to collections. While many of these
technologies are out of reach, the values of increasing access, active
participation, knowledge generation by audiences and interactivity are shared
by smaller regional institutions, and I will continue to consider how these
values can be achieved on a more modest scale at DRG into the future.
Finally, a tour and talk on the Museum of
Brisbane’s exhibition ‘100% Brisbane’ was invaluable in relation to a Robinson
Collection project I am undertaking in 2017/18 with the DRG’s Robinson
Collection of over 20,000 photographic negatives. I have recently begun a
project designed to collect ‘living history’ in the form of community members’
stories about Devonport, to be presented alongside the photographic collection
in a 2018 exhibition. The 100% Brisbane exhibition collected and told the
stories of 180 participants from the community, and this session gave me many
insights which will aid my project. For example; people have to be able to see
themselves in museums in order to embrace them; controversial ideas should not
be edited or avoided, as society is complex; the importance of capturing
‘living memory’; stories should not be limited to a history of place – rather
they’re an opportunity for dialogue and exchange; every story is authentic,
even if not ‘factual’; the importance of open-ended questions in order to
enhance interviews; and the power of spoken word – through voice recordings in
exhibitions, as well as written text and visuals. Two other key issues were
raised that I will take on board for my own project – the importance of
including ways for audiences to continue to express their stories post-visit
(through website, social media etc) and recognising the importance of
maintaining contact with participants – remembering they are people, not
exhibits. The insight into the way the 100% Brisbane project was undertaken,
and the lessons they learned and shared, will allow me to conduct my own
upcoming Robinson project in Devonport with a greater sensitivity and
appreciation for how multi-faceted the project may become.
Overall, I found the Museums and Galleries
Australia Conference 2017 to be an invaluable opportunity for networking,
gaining insights into institutions, practice and projects similar to those I am
undertaking, and gaining inspiration from a broad range of unique projects
being undertaken by both larger, state institutions and other regional galleries
throughout New Zealand and Australia.
-Erin Wilson
Curator, Devonport Regional Gallery
