>
>In other words, at our facility, the issues of the forest
>are far greater than the issue of a single tree.
>
>In the meantime, should our curator's salary be determined
>by the lack of "specialized knowledge" Hodcarry mourns?

I believe the curator's first allegiance should be to the profession, and
then to the institution, and then to the subject matter.  The best curators
(not just in the collections area, but in research and exhibitions as well)
I have met are generalists, and know enough to do basic research and then
know who the experts are that they can consult for the thornier problems of
attribution, etc. (speaking in art museum terms)  In my experience, curators
who are extremely focused on their subject area (17th century Dutch
ceramics, for example) give the rest of the collection very short shrift.
It's nice to have a specialty, or even a special interest, but the good of
the institution demands a broader view.  The curator must keep in mind what
the institution is supposed to accomplish, not solely what s/he is
interested in.

Julia Moore
Director of Exhibitions and Artist Services
Indianapolis Art Center