Here's a little funny video until my next post. It certainly provides an interesting perspective on museums! What do you think?
We love museums, do museums love us back?
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
De-installation
This week, Lauren (the Archives Assistant) and I worked on de-installing the exhibit The Working Drawings of Tom Lovell which has been on display at The Petroleum Museum since September 2009. It was a great exhibit, showing the working process of the artist as well as his relationship with George T. Abell, museum founder who commissioned the fourteen paintings hanging nearby. We were lucky enough to borrow several items from a private collector in Denver, CO, as well as from the Abell-Hanger Foundation. I hope you had a chance to see the exhibit!
De-installation is a museum word that encompasses much more than just taking pictures off the walls. For instance, shipping had to be arranged for those items returning to Denver. I hope this "photo essay" will demonstrate exactly what that word means!
Above: The gallery prior to de-installation. Notice the wooden boxes or crates (we call them coffins) in which most of the drawings are housed.
Above: First, we condition report the items we borrowed. In other words, we compare the drawing's condition now to what it was when we first got it. Luckily, none of the items in this exhibit had any major damage!
Above: For those items we borrowed and then framed, we had to unframe. We carefully took apart the frame, removing the mat. We then removed the object, wrapped in Mylar, from the mat. Then, using white cotton gloves to handle them, we removed the items from their Mylar envelopes. Ta dah!
Most of the objects in the exhibit were from the Museum's permanent collection. They are stored in their frames in the crates.
Above: After condition reporting the drawings, Lauren returns them to their respective crates. Notice the dark gray foam which cushions each frame and protects them from damage.
But we aren't done! After removing the section and object labels, we then have to remove the hardware from the walls.
Above: Lauren works on removing the hardware while I take a moment to catch her in action!
After removing the vinyl lettering from the walls, facilities will prep the galleries for the next exhibit. Hopefully, I'll have a chance to blog about the flip-side of de-installation -- INSTALLATION!
De-installation is a museum word that encompasses much more than just taking pictures off the walls. For instance, shipping had to be arranged for those items returning to Denver. I hope this "photo essay" will demonstrate exactly what that word means!
Above: The gallery prior to de-installation. Notice the wooden boxes or crates (we call them coffins) in which most of the drawings are housed.
Above: First, we condition report the items we borrowed. In other words, we compare the drawing's condition now to what it was when we first got it. Luckily, none of the items in this exhibit had any major damage!
Above: For those items we borrowed and then framed, we had to unframe. We carefully took apart the frame, removing the mat. We then removed the object, wrapped in Mylar, from the mat. Then, using white cotton gloves to handle them, we removed the items from their Mylar envelopes. Ta dah!
Most of the objects in the exhibit were from the Museum's permanent collection. They are stored in their frames in the crates.
Above: After condition reporting the drawings, Lauren returns them to their respective crates. Notice the dark gray foam which cushions each frame and protects them from damage.
But we aren't done! After removing the section and object labels, we then have to remove the hardware from the walls.
Above: Lauren works on removing the hardware while I take a moment to catch her in action!
After removing the vinyl lettering from the walls, facilities will prep the galleries for the next exhibit. Hopefully, I'll have a chance to blog about the flip-side of de-installation -- INSTALLATION!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Welcome!
While attending the annual TAM conference (this year in Bryan/College Station), I was inspired by Nina Simon. Nina spoke at the Opening Luncheon on "Making a Place for Community Engagement" and talked about different ways to make museums such places. During her follow-up session later that afternoon, Nina touched on bridging the online and on-site visits, both technical and non-technical ways visitors could participate with exhibits and museums.
"What are some ways I could encourage others to become involved at The Petroleum Museum?" I thought to myself. Why not start a blog about my role at the Museum? I could have a link on The Petroleum Museum's website and in the blog I could discuss what projects we were working on as well as solicit help in identifying objects and photographs.
So this blog is intended to do just that. I will chronicle various projects in the Archives & Collections Department at The Petroleum Museum, from installation of exhibits to processing new acquisitions. I will also use this platform to ask for suggestions, ideas, and help in identifying unknown objects and photographs in our collections.
I hope you will participate!
"What are some ways I could encourage others to become involved at The Petroleum Museum?" I thought to myself. Why not start a blog about my role at the Museum? I could have a link on The Petroleum Museum's website and in the blog I could discuss what projects we were working on as well as solicit help in identifying objects and photographs.
So this blog is intended to do just that. I will chronicle various projects in the Archives & Collections Department at The Petroleum Museum, from installation of exhibits to processing new acquisitions. I will also use this platform to ask for suggestions, ideas, and help in identifying unknown objects and photographs in our collections.
I hope you will participate!
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