Most Important Function of Curators Part III #MIFC

Got twelve more responses, so let’s finish this.

* Catherine Manning – To act as ’story keepers’ and to encourage people to interpret the world we live in from different perspectives.

* J@simpleposie – To risk being with the art, immediately and contemporaneously and to offer it in that spirit; to love showing art to people.

* Max Rhino – To ensure the proper balance between preservation and accessibility for a given collection; to act as a subject matter expert available for consultation by anyone requiring information.

* Perian Sully – To mediate between raw experience and information. To give material culture life and uncover new paths for uninformed and informed minds alike to travel.

* Karawaane – To help the development staff fund raise via smart & engaging shows/programs/etc.

* Steve Smith – Provide Context. (To, for,and with an Audience. Driven by Mission. Within the limits of space, budget, time, and technologies.)

* Kirsty Hall – Placing artists and works in a new context that encourages a deeper understanding of the art.

* Jennifer Ng – To challenge audience to new knowledge, or to think about existing knowledge in new light using the most effective means possible.

* Mia Ridge – To collect stories, whether sublime or ridiculous, to let us know which is which; be able to tell us significance of objects

* Museum of Folly – Contextualization is the most important curatorial function.

* Paolo Viscardi – Enabling intellectual and physical access to and effective future development of museum collections.

* Joanie San Chirico – To create a work of art in itself by hanging a cohesive, well thought-out exhibit.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond. I appreciate it.

Now, put these with the 25 other responses from yesterday and make a Wordle.

Big and right in the middle; people. I’m not sure if there is a more poignant symbol for the function of a curator. Yet, there are still many curators who hide in offices all day. Right next to “people” is the word “connections”, which many of the responses had as a theme. It appears that the expectations of curators is to provide the legwork to provide meaningful “connections” in a society overrun with “links”.

Also of note, “new”. Strange, when you think that curators and museums are mostly dealing with historical information, yet there must be a “newness” to the outcome. A “new” viewpoint, a “new” fact, a “new” object or a “new” experience (if nothing else, then “new” to me). What fascinates me as a reader of Lipovetsky (who says that the Supermodern era is not an era of new culture and fashions, but a recycling of previous trends) is how this appears to mean that the curator, who has collections/objects of a “historical” era, is having to do just that.

As per usual, I’ve put this on a mug, but also a magnet and a sticker this time. All can be bought from the newcurator shop.