Shared Articles

Local exhibition for They/Them Project

From your colleague Jennifer Orton, an exhibition from November 11-December 20 at the Sabes Jewish Community Center:

“They/Them Project is an ongoing podcast and photo series, giving gender nonconforming individuals a platform to be seen and heard, while educating all who listen about gender diversity. The project also gives us a chance to educate others by sharing the interviews through social media. The series is produced by Minneapolis-based celebrity and commercial photographer, Brent Dundore, originating as a way to document his journey as a cisgender person educating himself and challenging his own ignorance of gender.”

Find out more information at They/Them Project website.

Slow Art Movement

From your colleague Margo Squire, a great article about the move to more reflection in the museum. This article references Glenstone, a new museum in Maryland:

“It is self-consciously a museum built in the spirit of the nascent “slow art” movement, which is a reaction to larger forces afoot in the art market, democratic culture and the age of Instagrammable art.”

This new museum doesn’t want Instagram or crowds. Does that make it elitist?

 

National Docent Symposium Council

From your colleague Fran Megarry, Midwest Director of NDSC, is a link to the “Interchange” page on the website of the NDSC. According to the website, “In this part of our website, you will find articles and links about emerging as well as challenging topics facing our institutions that affect our docent practice. We hope this initiative will encourage exchange of ideas among our peers. The first topic for Interchange is Inclusion and Diversity.”:

NDSC Interchange

 

 

September 2018 book tour, The Submission

From your colleague Kathleen Steiger, a summary of an article on the garden at the 9/11 Memorial:

“Today’s ArtDaily Newsletter had a great article about the new GARDEN at the 9/11 Memorial in NYC. I have included a Word Doc (only 2 pages long as opposed to the 5 page one) but it does include a photo.

Since The Submission (one of our Fall Books for tours) concerns this topic I thought we should have it available for the docents who get assigned for this tour.”

Design for 9-11 memorial from ArtDaily Newsletter 5-31-2018

Kaywin Feldman article

From your colleague Linda Goldenberg, an article by our director, Kaywin Feldman, in Apollo from May 2018 that discusses museum leadership in a time of crisis:

Museum Leadership in Time of Crisis

Here is a small excerpt:

“As long as the staff and trustees at American museums remain predominantly white, it will be difficult for museums to tackle the often painful but important contemporary issues that we must address. Many museum traditionalists, most of whom grew up in a different America, do not understand why younger and more diverse audiences insist that museums engage in contemporary issues. Museums, however, risk irrelevance unless they step up to address formidable and pressing societal issues.”

Art in Bloom flowers and plants

From your colleague Lynn Dunlap. a useful reference to flowers and plants used in AIB designs, recently updated in January 2020. According to Lynn:

“Each year, we have a few plant books in the lounge but it’s hard to find some plants due to names, clarity of photos, etc.  It seems docents often are trying to figure out which plant is ‘green trick’ or what’s that plant with the red tinged leaves.

This database includes common names, botanical names, two photos and additional notes, such as the symbolism of flowers.”

AIB plant materials 1_1_2020 update

Robert Rauschenberg, Opal Gospel, 1971 installation

From your colleague Josie Owens, some information on the current installation in Gallery 261 of Robert Rauschenberg’s Opal Gospel:

“On 24 January 2018, I met with Jill, Deb, Kara, and Ann at the Opal Gospel.
 
·      Jill explained the process for the installation. She said that Rauschenberg did not use his Native American background as Jimmie Durham had. However, there were some issues around it. She gave us some information about the Cherokee people and their regulations for self-identification. There has been a problem with many celebrities wrongfully claiming Cherokee heritage. She said that this exhibit was supposed to make one think about how picking when to self-identify is a luxury that Native Peoples do not have.  
·      She said that 5 scholars couldn’t identify Rauschenberg’s Cherokee ancestry. However, sometimes Cherokees would claim to be white in order to buy land and that this could be a possibility for his grandmother. There had not been a decisive conclusion that she wasn’t.
·      Then she shared her interaction with the director of the Rauschenberg Foundation, Kathy Halbreich. Kathy had seen the images of the installation with the quotations.  Jill said that she told Kathy that she thought that Rauschenberg would have liked this as he enjoyed the discussion and debate. Kathy agreed.
·      I then mentioned that I wished that there were more explanation. I said that I felt that there was so much Cherokee information when in fact the texts used by Rauschenberg were all by other Native American people. I worried that this was a bit misleading. Jill was immediately receptive and suggested that more labels be added identifying the writings themselves.
·      Jill even shared that she felt that Boney, who had known Rauschenberg and liked him, had a more inclusive statement than Tehee. She seemed to agree with my concern that Tehee’s comment did not help with an open discussion.
·      Then we all discussed that if the purpose of the installation was to ask the question what is cultural appropriation and if this is an example or not, then perhaps a sign with that idea should be added. We said that this would help the average viewer especially without a docent.
·      Jill was eager to do and said it could be similar to what is happening in period rooms. She suggested something that said that this is a curatorial decision and only one of many approaches.
·      We left it that Jill would speak with Juline and circle back.
·      The other suggestion Jill had was to get the image of the beautiful metal box that the Opal Gospel comes in. I will do this and share.
Jill was so approachable and open-minded. It was a wonderful discussion and helped so much with my ability to use the art.”