黑料吃瓜

Each year, students of the OHIO Museum Studies Certificate program (opens in a new window) curate and install an exhibit called 鈥淢erging Concepts,鈥� and each year the new groups of students bring their own sets of ideas and twists to the theme. This year, the topic of the exhibit is 鈥淚n These Moments,鈥� which explores the storytelling process of emotions, events, narratives and artworks.

鈥淚n These Moments鈥� began with the students collaborating on two 鈥減rimary objects鈥� around which to base the rest of the exhibit, then finding objects of individual interest to them that would tie into the overall theme of the exhibit to be displayed at the Kennedy Museum of Art (opens in a new window). 

鈥淲e sat down and brainstormed鈥hat kind of ideas we could use to link those two objects, and from that we came up with this concept of moments in time,鈥� said Emma Campbell, a second-year student studying classical civilizations in the College of Arts and Sciences and pursuing the Museum Studies Certificate in the College of Fine Arts. 

鈥淭he thing that鈥檚 really interesting about the Museum Studies exhibition is that the students are all interdisciplinary, so 鈥he objects that interest them are not necessarily art objects,鈥� said Lisa Quinn, the Kennedy Museum of Art Registrar and co-instructor of the Museum Studies Certificate courses. 

Quinn鈥檚 focus as registrar is to ensure the proper treatment of museum objects, from frames for installation to environment control when the objects aren鈥檛 on display. While helping the students learn how to properly care for the objects, as well as teaching them about the theory of museum studies, Quinn got an up-close look at the process of the exhibition's creation. 

鈥淭he theme is really about connections, about objects they鈥檝e chosen and ideas that connect those objects to the present,鈥� she said. 

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With equal focus on collaboration and individuality, the students involved in the program had the opportunity to offer their own skill sets to the process. Valen Vennard, a third-year student studying history in the College of Arts and Sciences and pursuing the Museum Studies Certificate, was able to offer unique advice and learn unique lessons. 

鈥淚 gave input as someone who works here at the Kennedy and has seen exhibits come and go,鈥� Vennard said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 unique because it is pretty much all student curated and led. We had input from our professors and the people here at the Kennedy, but it is special because it is our first experience in this area.鈥� 

Vennard is pursuing the certificate after learning to love the knowledge and education promoted by museums from a young age. Campbell also decided to pursue the certificate as part of her interest in the subject matter. 

鈥淚 was called to the Museum Studies Certificate because I really want to focus on archaeology in the future鈥nd I鈥檓 really interested in curating exhibits鈥 wanted to get the experience that I would need to start myself off right in that career field,鈥� Campbell said. 

Throughout the laborious process of creating and installing the exhibit, both students were able to learn new lessons about themselves and their perspective fields. 

鈥淪omething I鈥檝e learned personally is how to be more assertive with my ideas,鈥� Campbell said. 鈥淲hen I first started, I was very shy and was set on letting everybody else say what they thought鈥ut I鈥檝e really come out of my shell and been more vocal about what I think we should be doing.鈥� 

鈥淐ommunication [is] something that I鈥檝e had very little experience with,鈥� Vennard said. 鈥淎ll the jobs I鈥檝e had in the past have been very individual鈥o getting experience in communicating with a large group of people and talking out ideas and problems that arise throughout the process was definitely new, and I learned a lot from that.鈥� 

The exhibit鈥檚 opening reception will take place on April 19, and will be followed by a Gallery Talk on April 24. With all of the exciting events coming up in relation to the project, Vennard is most excited to 鈥渟hare our vision with the community and other students.鈥� 

鈥淚t鈥檚 really close to all of our hearts, it鈥檚 something we worked really hard on, and it gives us a chance to not only show off all the work we鈥檝e done, but also get feedback on things we might do differently next time,鈥� Campbell said.