Jennifer,
Interesting topic. I am sure many of us have such stories. Hopefully you
are getting a good response. Could be controversial.
I have run into that conflict several times. It can be one of the more
frustrating elements of museum work. In my case I report directly to my
director, as do my curators. He is the arbiter of conflicts over collection
care and exhibition concerns. Several times now issues have arisen that
gave me concern for the welfare of the objects we intended to exhibit,
loan, or otherwise use. Issues of light, RH, security, as well as condition
of the object. My concerns are presented along with the desires for use,
and the benefits and costs weighed.
Keep in mind that the following opinion has nothing to do with an
individual's title, and that I use the terms curatorial/curator and
collections care/management as general terms relating to overall museum
functions.
In my personal opinion the primary purpose of our institutions is to
protect the objects in our care and make them available to as many future
generations as possible. Exhibition and use of said objects is secondary to
that protection, and should be done in full consideration of the needs of
those objects. That does not mean objects should not be used, but that that
use should be filtered through procedures to best extend the life of the
object. That may seem painfully obvious to those who really understand the
nature of museums, but it is surprising how common it is for that to be
forgotten.
Essentially collection care should never be under the direct purview or
control of curatorial. The two pursuits are in fundamental conflict, and
having one report to or subservient to the other can lead to big problems
for both staff and objects. Curatorial generally seeks to use objects,
which lessens their useable life, no matter how minutely. Collection care
seeks always to maximize the useful life of an object for the future. The
two must be able to work effectively together, since both are primary
elements in the purpose of all of our institutions. That certainly does not
mean that curators do not understand collection care, and I also understand
many collections managers are referred to as curators of collections(or
whatever). The point is that those whose job it is to use our objects
should not have categorical authority over those whose job it is to protect
our objects.
I do know some institutions whose reporting structure fits my category of
improper, but who have not had problems, or at least problems I have heard
of. That is certainly not unusual. My contention is that such a situation
is a potential threat to an institution's artifacts, and should be
carefully considered. I freely admit that this assertion is informed by my
frustration that curatorial practice is often perceived as the primary
purpose of a museum, and that collections care is so often institutionally
and financially marginalized within a museum's structure. Bias noted.
Good examples from my work history:
- exhibition venue that is environmentally improper, but the director is a
very good friend of the hosting curator. Solution: no exhibition but long
and polite explanation to the potential venue as to the refusal and how
they could improve their situation.
- light levels are within proper parameters on a print, but curator feels
it just doesn't look good. Solution: leave levels like they are and explain
them to public.
- object up for loan is not in stable enough condition for travel and
exhibition. Solution: borrower pays for conservation before installation.
I also have a few unfortunate examples if you want them. As obvious as they
might be, I think I would prefer they stay off the list.
Good Luck.
Mark Janzen
Registrar/Collections Manager
Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art
Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection
Wichita State University
(316)978-5850
Jennifer Hall
<[log in to unmask]
OM> To
Sent by: Museum [log in to unmask]
discussion list cc
<[log in to unmask]
SE.LSOFT.COM> Subject
Conflict between a policy of access
and a policy of conservation
09/05/2005 01:14
PM
Please respond to
Museum discussion
list
<[log in to unmask]
SE.LSOFT.COM>
I am currently conducting research for an essay that I must complete for my
Masters in Museum Studies course. The unit I am studying is Care of
Collections and my essay is on the inherent conflict museums have between a
policy of access and a policy of conservation. If you have faced this
problem in your museum I would love to hear how the conflic came about and
how you solved it. Also if you have not found this problem in your museum,
how did you avoid the conflict?
Thank you,
Jennifer Hall
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