Winter 2021 - Registrars Committee Western Region
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Winter 2021
New State Reps—Welcome!
page 4
page 6
RC-WR 2021 Webinar Series
The Ins & Outs of
Condition Surveys
page 8
Cool RC-WR Merch
page 11 Available to Buy!
Winter Member Survey
page 13
New Reads by Nancy Arms Simon
page 26
pages 17–25
State Updates
COVER:
Conservator Kathleen Daly demonstrated
conservation stitches for textile supports in
January’s Hands On! Practical Conservation
for the Collections Professional webinar.
Since 1979, the RC-WR has
cooperated with the CS-AAM in See Webinar Series article on page 6.
advocating for the profession of
Registrars and Collections Managers
across the states of Alaska, Arizona,
2
California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada,
Oregon, Utah and Washington,
and promotes high standards and
best practices in registration.
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
Well Everyone,
2020 is over!
We made it! Well, sort of. Even though we’re still working through
the year that threw us every curve possible, a new year always
feels like at least somewhat of a fresh start, and I hope for all of
our sake that better times are on the horizon in 2021.
I’m sure we can all agree that the silver lining to 2020 was
how it forced us all to adapt in ways we never expected,
leading to growth and creativity in areas like visitor engagement,
project management, & digital communication. It’s what led us
as a board to starting our webinar series, and I’m so glad we did
because “Hands On! Practical Conservation for the Collections
Professional” has already turned out three extremely useful
tutorials, with more to come every month this year. Keep an
eye on your weekly emails for new webinar announcements &
check out our YouTube page for recordings of the ones that
have already happened.
MESSAGE This issue is slightly abbreviated because we have great things
related to current events in the works for our next two issues!
FROM Nevertheless, the following pages have great things in store like
a webinar review, some new state reps to announce, our usual
THE state reports, and a very interesting New Reads. In this issue’s
member survey, we reminisce about what it was like to go out-
CHAIR 3
side by asking you all to describe the most memorable
exhibition you’ve ever visited, and the answers are
really inspiring.
As a reminder, this year is an ELECTION YEAR
for RC-WR! Elections will be held in October, but
it’s never too early to start considering whether
Please join us
a Board position could be the next step in your
professional development. We are seeking nomi- in welcoming
nations and self-nominations for all four board
positions, including Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary,
and Treasurer. More info on the individual duties
our New State
of each position can be found in our Bylaws at
this link rcwr.org/about/bylaws. Representatives!
We’ve put together a stellar Nominating Commit-
tee, so if you would like to nominate a colleague
NEVADA
or submit a self-nomination, please contact any
of our three committee members:
Cynthia
Cory Gooch | WA | cgooch@fryemuseum.org Sanford
Kathleen Daly | OR | dalyka@yahoo.com Registrar,
Clark
Alli DeFrancesco | CA | allidefran@me.com
County
Finally, this is LAST CALL FOR RENEWALS! Museum
Our Secretary Helen Fedchak has been send-
ing you weekly reminders, and if you have not
renewed by February 1st, your membership will
be officially lapsed and you will lose access to
our website, directory, job postings, emails, and UTAH
events. So please consider renewing for the low
price of $15/year so we can continue to provide
you all with the newsletter, webinars, and more! Hannah
Barrett
Thank you all for your support and stay tuned for
our next issue in April! Assistant
Curator &
With Gratitude,
Registrar,
Katy Hess | RC-WR Chair
Registrar, Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, California
Springville
Museum
of Art
4
Hands On! Practical Conservation
for the Collections Professional
RC-WR 2021 Webinar Series
Have you been tuning in for our a huge difference in how we condition surveys. Then Carolina
new webinar series, Hands On! handle our collections. Focusing Veenstra demonstrated how to
Practical Conservation for the on practical skills, we have had make custom book mounts. And,
Collections Professional? These three amazing webinars so far! most recently, Kathleen Daly
webinars have been allowing us First, Samantha Springer of Art Sligar demonstrated conservation
to delve deeper into the basic Solutions Lab, shared with us the stitches for textile supports.
conservation skills that can make ins and outs of collections and
Samantha Springer Carolina Veenstra Kathleen Daly Sligar
We’re not done yet though! Next up on February 18th
we will have Madison Brockman, an Andrew W.
Mellon Fellow in paper conservation at LACMA,
discussing the stabilization and storage best practices
for torn and fragile documents.
You can register for this webinar now at this link!
Madison Brockman
Then, in March, we will have Rosa Lowinger of RLA Conservation demonstrating how
to properly clean soot off artifacts, a good skill for anyone’s emergency planning, but
especially those of us in the western region!
If you missed any of our webinars live,
If there are particular subjects you would like to see cov- they are available on our YouTube page
ered or you know a conservator that you think should and don’t forget to subscribe! More
6
share their extensive knowledge, don’t hesitate to reach information about all of our
out to Beth Sanders at RCWRViceChair@gmail.com. All events is available at
participating conservators are compensated for their time. rcwr.org/learn/workshops.
We are devoted to providing exceptional
Museum Services for our clients.
TRUCKING ● INSTALLATION ● CRATING ● SHIPPING ● STORAGE
.
7
Hands On! The Ins and Outs of
Condition Surveys
RC-WR Webinar Review
—By Nicole Sandberg, when such questions seem a little overwhelming,
Assistant Registrar, Utah Museum of Fine Arts as explained in the RC-WR webinar The Ins and
Outs of Condition Surveys taught by conservator
What are the most urgent condition needs of your Samantha Springer in November. Over a hundred
collection? What kind of housing improvements collections professionals from across the country
8
should you work on? How do you get funding (and even a few other countries!) tuned in,
or administrative support for collections care? and the recording can still be viewed from
Condition surveys are a great way to get started the RC-WR website and YouTube page.
As the principal conservator at Art Solutions Lab, I participated in and can vouch for its usefulness.
LLC and a Professional Associate of the American The form my supervisor created was much less
Institute for Conservation, Springer has experi- involved, proving this format can be adapted to a
ence with a wide range of objects and materials. range of needs; don’t let the length or technical
Her explanation of condition surveys and their details of the example deter you. Besides helping
uses gave me a better understanding of the value you know what to work on, survey results can be
of such projects: a big-picture perspective that I used to apply for grants or get budget approval
was lacking even though I participated in a similar from administrators.
project as an intern. The purpose of any condi-
tion survey is to systematically collect informa- Though I am no longer an intern, I will be
tion, which is a powerful tool to have on hand to summarizing the data collected in our survey
address preventive care, preservation plans, or which I am better equipped to do thanks to this
treatment needs. Don’t we all hope for progress in webinar. I had previously only understood my
those areas? portion of the survey process; learning about the
wider purpose will surely assist me in my future
While a survey can be item-level, it doesn’t have career journey.
to be. Instead it could cover a percentage
sampling (such as every tenth object) to give you This presentation took place in the Zoom webinar
a cross-section of the collection, or it could focus format which includes a Q&A feature and makes
on a set category or portion of the whole. This only presenters visible (not audience members).
webinar will get you thinking about what kind of It is part of the RC-WR series Hands On!
information will be useful for you, who to include Practical Conservation for the Collections Profes-
in the planning, logistical concerns, and how to sional which will continue monthly through 2021.
get started. These webinars are great opportunities to glean
knowledge from conservation experts that can be
Perhaps the highlight of Springer’s presentation directly applicable to collections stewardship.
was the idea of using a Google form to conduct
a survey. Much of the audience interest centered
around this topic! Creating a Google form provides
you with set questions and checklists (tailored to
your needs) to make information-gathering quick
and consistent. Besides recording information
about the state of an object or its housing, you
could also include treatment recommendations
or rankings (such as the object’s significance or
exhibition priority) dependent on the goals of your
survey. When the survey is complete, the magic
of Google can automatically convert responses
to the hard data needed to move forward: What
percentage of your objects need new housing?
How many are showing structural damage? What
preventive action should be your first priority?
9
An example of this valuable tool is available since
Springer shares a link to her sample Google
form. I also used a Google form for the survey
10
RC-WR Merch
Now Available on Our Website!
RC-WR T-shirts and half aprons are now
available to all our members
through the DONATE
page on our website.
Each item is available in
exchange for a donation
to RC-WR in the amount
of $30 or greater. Head on
over to our website to show
your support and represent
RC-WR! All proceeds go
right back into our gener-
al budget to help pro-
vide our
mem-
bers with
work-
shops,
stipends,
webinars
and more.
Women’s
V-neck Tee
S | M | L | XL
Men’s
Crew-neck Tee
S | M | L | XL
Apron
11
One Size Fits AllPartnering with museums and private clients
worldwide to provide quality service since 1933
ganderandwhite.com 12Winter 2021
MEMBER SURVEY
What is the most memorable exhibition
you’ve ever visited? Describe it!
In a visit to the National Museum of Natural History with his beloved Irish Wolfhound Clyde. I can state
in 2010, I viewed a truly unique artifact in the most with full confidence that standing next to the skel-
memorable exhibition I’d ever seen. My former eton of someone I had listened to, talked with, and
Physical Anthropology professor from Washington learned from is a truly remarkable experience!
State University, Dr. Grover Krantz, willed his body
to science upon his death in 2002. His skeleton —Lorraine Scott, U.S. Naval Undersea Museum, WA
was on display in the exhibit Written in Bone, along
Treasures of Tutankhamun at LACMA in 1978— —Linda Waterfield,
the original blockbuster exhibition that completely Hearst Museum of
captivated me at a tender age. This singular exhibi- Anthropology,
tion along with the Connections TV series sealed UC Berkeley, CA
my fate for a career in museums.
Linda’s original ticket!
The Santa Monica Museum of Art (now the ICA, chance to see how artwork is packed. Through a
LA) had an exhibition over 20 years ago, where it series of art talks the public also got to hear from
highlighted artwork from Eli Broad, the collector. the art handler and registrar. A unique idea.
What made this exhibition unique was it displayed
the art in their storage crates and highlighted the —Jacqueline Cabrera,
role of art handler, registrar, and curator. The CABRERA+ART+MANAGEMENT, CA
13
art was still quite visible, and it gave the public aImpressionists in Winter at the Phillips Collection perfect size. There is plenty of high-quality art to
in Washington DC. Who knew the Impressionists see but I never feel overwhelmed by the space or
painted outside in the freezing cold?! Summer and the number of works displayed. It’s just right.
fall Impressionist paintings are so well known but
this exhibit was a beautiful collection of the neutral —Betsy Bruemmer, Museum of
colors of winter. And the Phillips’ exhibits are the History & Industry, WA
Growing up, I was obsessed with Egyptology. except for all the beautiful scarabs expertly lit. That
When I was in high school, the Portland Art Mu- was my first visit to a large museum and will always
seum showcased Splendors of Ancient Egypt. My be etched in my mind.
best friend’s mom arranged a surprise trip for us to
see it (including a 5-hour drive from the other side —Kathleen Daly Sligar, Registrar/Fashion
of the state). I remember nothing about the trip, & Textiles Consultant, OR
When I visited Wolarock in Bartlesville, OK and they —Melanie Deer, Arizona Museum of Natural His-
had a case of artifacts found on the property. That’s tory, AZ
when it really hit me that archaeology is all over.
#1 The Muhammed Ali Museum in Louisville, Ken- #2 would be Hilma af Klint at the Guggenheim.
tucky has a setup of a late ‘50s/early ‘60s diner. I didn’t know anything about her before I went—
When you walk through the door, there’s a motion my travelling companion suggested it. So the
sensor that turns on the lights and an authoritative impression it made on me went from 0 to 60 in a
man’s voice says, “Hey, we don’t serve your kind.” heartbeat. Everything about it blew my mind.
It’s like a gut punch, you literally feel yourself want-
ing to quickly retreat. —Nancy Arms Simon, SFMOMA, CA
I spent Christmas 2017 in Paris and visited the see gowns worn by some of my favorite celebrities,
Christian Dior: Couturier du Rêve exhibition at the and I learned so much about the history of fashion.
Musée des Arts Décoratifs. It was a fantasy world Each gallery was designed to transport you to a
of all my favorite things coming together. The most new dreamland. I was also fascinated to learn that
memorable part of the exhibition was the finale in Christian Dior started out as a gallerist representing
a grand beaux arts hall with projections lighting up the likes of Picasso before switching over to fashion.
the space that made the ceiling, walls, and floor
look like they were sparkling with glitter. I got to —Maggie Leak, Utah Museum of Fine Arts, UT
14Americans at the National Museum of the Ameri- about Native American people. I feel like I can’t
can Indian. It examines the many ways Native summarize all the ideas and nuances it contained,
People have been used as symbols and icons but I can definitely say that I still think about that
in the United States, everything from the First exhibit all the time.
Thanksgiving to products and sports mascots.
As a white American, it really turned the lens and —Clara Berg, Museum of History & Industry, WA
made me examine my own experiences and ideas
One of the most eye-opening exhibits I experi- reversing the myth that rooms in castles were dark.
enced was at the Chateau de Chenonceau in
France where they recreated a medieval room with —Tory Laitila, Honolulu Museum of Art, HI
all its textiles and it really showed bold colors,
The Ishtar Gate [Ancient Near Eastern Cultures —Nives Mestrovic, Frye Art Museum, WA
exhibition] at the Pergamonmuseum in Berlin.
The most memorable exhibition I’ve ever visited where I don’t remember anything about the layout,
was the permanent gallery at the Topography of the lighting, or display choices, but only the
Terrors in Berlin, Germany. The content was so emotions it evoked.
powerful and upsetting that it is probably the only
exhibit I have gone through in the last decade —Beth Sanders, U.S. Naval Undersea Museum, WA
The Vermeer exhibition at the Mauritshuis in The get me access to the exhibition so I made a stop-
Hague, 1996. It was the first comprehensive exhi- over in The Hague on my way back to Los Angeles
bition of Vermeer’s works, and included 23 of the from a courier trip in Madrid. It was an unforget-
34 known paintings which scholars agree are by table, intimate look at so many of Vermeer’s paint-
his hand. (The only U.S. venue for this exhibition ings, and it was especially beautiful to see them in
was at the National Gallery in DC, which showed the galleries of the Mauritshuis!
21 paintings.) Hizkia van Kralingen transported and
installed the works, and they were kind enough to —Cory Gooch, Frye Art Museum, WA
15Boston
New York
Washington, DC
Orlando
St. Louis
Chicago
Dallas
Los Angeles
Los Angeles Office
Toll Free: 877-528-7278
www.usart.com
16arizona working to collect digital stories including tours of collections objects,
STATE UPDATES
about how the pandemic has impact- children’s story times, and “firehouse
Many state and local ed Arizonans. If you are interested fido” videos in partnership with the
government museums in in submitting images, videos, docu- Arizona Humane Society. Check
Arizona remain closed. ments or audio files to the digital out their channel https://www.
Some privately run archive, go to covid-19archive.org youtube.com/c/HallofFlameFire
museums and those with [covid-19archive.org] and follow the Museum/videos
an outdoor component instructions. Tag your submission
remain open with miti- with #AZHistory to catalog it with The Scottsdale Museum of
gation measures in place. other Arizona stories. Contemporary Art (SMoCA) is
currently closed to the public and
Barry Goldwater’s ham This past fall, AHS was honored anticipates de-installation/installa-
radio desk is now on to receive the donation of The tion to re-open on February 20th
display at the Arizona Migrant Quilt Project, which will with three new exhibitions. Two
History Museum in be preserved in the Arizona History are highlighted here and the other
Tucson as part of the Museum collections. The quilts are will be a collection exhibition called
exhibit Barry Goldwater, available to loan to other museums Division of Labor: Women Shifting a
K7UGA, On the Air, In and be made accessible for the public Transnational Gaze.
the Sky, Behind the Lens. to view.
Diedrick Brackens: Ark of Bulrushes
anticipated run through August 22,
2021, presents a new body of work
by artist Diedrick Brackens that
includes handwoven tapestries and
sculptural weavings.
In her solo-exhibition, Voice Over:
Zineb Sedira, anticipated run
through September 5, 2021, artist
Zineb Sedira will create a new itera-
tion for SMoCA
of Standing Here
Wondering Which
Way to Go, an instal-
lation first shown at
Barry Goldwater’s the Jeu de Paume in
ham radio desk on Paris in 2019. Zineb
display at the Arizona
History Museum
Sedira will be the
first artist of African
Close up, Barry Gold- descent to represent
water’s mug and ham
radio microphone
France at the 2022
Venice Biennale.
The Arizona Historical The Hall of Flame Museum of
17
Society is also partici- Firefighting is working hard to cre-
pating in the Journal of ate digital content. In the past nine
the Plague Year project, months, they’ve created 76 videosnorthern The Hayward Japanese Gardens, the largest collections of scientifi-
california located near downtown Hayward,
California, the three acre garden
cally documented, wild-source Asian
plants in North America and Eu-
After being reopened for 32 days, designed along traditional lines are rope, many of which represent ances-
the California Academy of Sciences maintained by the Hayward Area tors of horticultural favorites found
re-closed in compliance with San Recreation and Park District. throughout the western world.
Francisco City and County guid- quarryhillbg.org/
ance. Despite a tumultuous 2020, The Japanese Friendship Garden
staff have focused on policy and pro- is a walled section of Kelley Park in The San Francisco Botanical Garden
cedures and look forward to rolling San Jose, California. Dedicated in at Strybing Arboretum is located
out a new strategic plan in 2021. In October 1965, it is patterned after in San Francisco’s Golden Gate
the meantime, check out Academy Japan’s famous Korakuen Garden Park. Its 55 acres represents nearly
@ Home for online content. in Okayama and spans six acres 9,000 different kinds of plants from
and contains three ponds originally around the world, with particular
As we all buckle down to stop the stocked with koi sent from Okayama focus on Magnolia species, high
spread of COVID-19, outdoor in 1966. sanjose.org/listings/japa- elevation palms, conifers, and cloud
exploration offers opportunities to nese-friendship-garden forest species from Central America,
reset and connect with the natural South America, and Southeast Asia.
world. While many are enjoying Japanese Tea Garden located in San sfbg.org/
national, state, and regional parks, Francisco’s Golden Gate Park was
consider supporting these institu- originally created as a “Japanese Vil- The University of California
tions to enjoy winter flora and fauna. lage” exhibit for the 1894 California Botanical Garden is a 34-acre
Of course, plan ahead by checking Midwinter International Exposition. botanical garden located in Berkeley
websites for hours of operation and The site originally spanned about Hills, on the University of California,
making a reservation if required. one acre and showcased a Japanese Berkeley campus in Strawberry
style garden. When the fair closed, Canyon and has incredible views
Filoli, also known as the Bourn- Japanese landscape architect Ma- overlooking the San Francisco Bay.
Roth Estate, is a country house set koto Hagiwara and superintendent botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu
in 16 acres of formal gardens sur- John McLaren reached a gentleman’s
rounded by a 654-acre estate, located agreement, allowing Mr. Hagiwara
in Woodside, California, about 25 to create and maintain a permanent
southern
miles south of San Francisco.
filoli.org/explore/the-garden
Japanese-style garden as a gift for
posterity. japaneseteagardensf.com/ california
Hakone Estate and Garden is an The Mendocino Coast Botanical USC Pacific Asia Museum
18-acre traditional Japanese garden Gardens is located on 47 acres in Announces a New Plan
in Saratoga, California. A recipi- Fort Bragg, California between of Action to Deconstruct
ent of the Save America’s Treasures Highway One and the Pacific Ocean Orientalism Through
Award by the National Trust for His- and includes canyons, wetlands, Collections Management,
toric Preservation, it is recognized coastal bluffs, and a closed-cone pine New Exhibitions and
as one of the oldest Japanese-style forest. gardenbythesea.org/ Programming
residential gardens in the West-
ern Hemisphere. Notable features Quarryhill Botanical Garden is USC Pacific Asia Museum,
18
include a bamboo garden, a Zen a 61-acre botanical garden located Pasadena, announced today
garden, and pond garden. in Glen Ellen, Sonoma County, (September 22, 2020 )
hakone.com/ California and is home to one of a new plan of action todecolonize has been
its collec- highly
tions and awaited in
challenge the film
notions of commu-
the Orient nity. Ted
in its Saransos,
exhibitions chairman
and pro- of the
gramming. board
As an integral part of the University The much-heralded opening of trustees of the institution, says,
of Southern California, t his plan of the opening of the Academy “Now it’s just a matter of patience.”
will advance USC PAM’s mission: Museum of Motion Pictures in
“to create inspiring encounters with Los Angeles has been rescheduled The museum will offer immersive
the art, history and culture of Pacific from 30 April until 30 September and dynamic displays that explore
Asia that promotes intercultural of next year. the art, technology, artists, history,
understanding in the service of ele- and social impact of films through a
vating our shared sense of humanity.” Los Angeles is in the grip of restric- variety of diverse exhibits.”
In recognition of the role arts institu- tions imposed by the state as corona-
tions must play to advance change, virus cases soar, making it difficult to From The Art Newspaper:
USC PAM acknowledges the fol- envision greeting visitors as museums theartnewspaper.com/news/
lowing: The Orient is a problematic currently are closed due to pandemic amid-covid-19-adjustments-acad-
historical framework used to collapse concerns. Still, the museum had suf- emy-museum-of-motion-pictures-
the diverse identities of peoples and fered setbacks before the pandemic, in-los-angeles-delays-opening-by-
cultures across Asia and the Pacific repeatedly deferring its original five-months
Islands into socially and cultur- planned opening in 2017.
ally constructed others. If we are to On Thursday, January 21, Virtual
grapple with the legacies of colonial- “We are putting the final touches on Museum of Conemporary Art
ism that exist within our museum, our stunning exhibitions and pub- (MOCA), Los Angeles, hosted a
the Orient has to be a focus. As the lic spaces, and while we were ready reading of poems from the volume
leading university art museum dedi- and eager to welcome visitors in the “In Absentia: Reflections on the Pan-
cated to the arts and cultures of Asia spring, with the current surge of demic,” edited by Nkosi Nkululeko,
and the Pacific Islands (API), USC Covid-19, it would be irresponsible Emily O’Neill, and April Ranger,
PAM is aware that historically muse- to maintain an April opening,” says and released by Bicycle Comics. The
ums played a key role in construct- Bill Kramer, director and president editors chose a selection of poets
ing Orientalism and we must play of the Academy Museum of Motion who read their contributions from
an equally key role in deconstructing Pictures, in a statement. “We know the volume.
it. USC PAM is proud to announce a new day is coming for us all, and
a robust suite of calendared exhibi- when it does, the Academy Museum Written during the early weeks of the
tions, programs and initiatives that will be ready to offer our visitors the Covid-19 virus outbreak in North
illuminate how we will execute on remarkable experience we have all America, the poems of “In Absen-
this plan over the course of the next been wanting.” tia’’ document cultures on the cusp
year. pacificasiamuseum.usc.edu/ of devastation. The poems capture
19
files/2020/09/Release_NewERA_ The opening of the $482M museum the fear, the grief, the
NewPAM-DRAFT-2.pdf project, with a debut exhibition of defiance, and the hope of
the animated films of Hayao Miyazaki, that first wave.Poems and readings selected and Hammer will receive passes granting The project began in 2019 and was
edited by Nkosi Nkululeko, Emily free admission to The Huntington to completed in December 2020 at a
O’Neill, and April Ranger.” view Made in L.A. 2020 in full. cost of $72,000. The glass and metal
moca.org/program/moca-x-in-absentia mural is by State of Washington art-
Made in L.A. 2020 is organized by ist Steven Gardner. Following best
independent curators Myriam Ben practices, the pre-fabrication of the
Salah and Lauren Mackler, with the mural was reviewed by conservator
Hammer’s Ikechukwu Onyewuenyi, Christina Varvi of RLA Conservation.
Assistant Curator of Performance.
The USS Bowfin Submarine
The opening date of this exhibi- Museum & Park has been slowly
tion is dependent on L.A. County moving forward with their new
guidelines for museums to reopen.” museum, the Pacific Fleet Submarine
hammer.ucla.edu/exhibitions/2020/ Museum. Curator Sara Bellian has
made-la-2020-version been working on preparing objects
The Hammer Museum & for exhibit; a few of their historic
The Huntington Library, Art submarine battle flags have been
Museum, and Botanical Gardens
hawaii reproduced for display, including
Made in L.A. 2020
“Works by 30 Los Angeles–based
artists are presented at both institu-
tions—two versions that make up
the whole. The exhibition features
new installations, videos, films,
sculptures, performances, and paint-
ings, many commissioned specifi-
cally for the exhibition.
Funded through the generos-
ity of Los Angeles philanthropists
and art collectors Jarl and Pa-
mela Mohn, three awards totaling
$150,000 will be given to artists in
the exhibition: the Mohn Award, the Steven Gardner and assistant install- a reproduction of the USS Wahoo
Career Achievement Award—both ing the mural at the Hau‘ula Fire Station. battle flag by RC-WR member Tory
Photograph by Tory Laitila, 2020.
of which are selected by a profession- Laitila.
al jury—and the Public Recognition
Award, which is determined through The Honolulu Mayor’s Office of Have a sneak peek (following page)
votes cast by visitors to the exhibi- Culture and the Arts installed a at some of the submarine battle
tion. Visitors will be able to vote at public art project managed by Cura- flags on exhibit at the Pacific Fleet
both exhibition locations. tor of Collections Marion Cadora. Submarine Museum.
20
The work is an exterior metal and
During the run of Made in L.A. glass mural for the Hau‘ula Fire
2020, members and visitors to the Station titled Ka Leo O Ke Kai.Submarine istrator Mark Hall-Patton has been
battle flags, answering questions on Facebook
Pacific Fleet
Submarine
Live every Wednesday at noon from
Museum. a different location at the museum.
Photograph by Behind the scenes, staff has been
Tory Laitila, 2020 preparing for a new storage build-
ing by attempting to conquer the
The Honolulu collections backlog and reevaluating
Museum of Art housing and storage techniques.
in preparing for
an upcoming The John and Geraldine Lilley
exhibit is do- Museum of Art re-opened in July,
ing some work and has created several community
disrobed the figure and prepared outreach programs, including the
on a sculpture by Duane Hanson.
some of the clothing items for treat- hashtag #TheLilleyFromHome, used
The hyper-realistic polyester and
ment by textile conservator Linda to interact with their audience in a
fiberglass with found clothing and
Hee. HoMA Assistant Registrar Kyle meaningful and educative way. The
accessories, Secretary, was completed
Swartzlender is working with the hashtag featured pieces from the
in 1972. Textiles staff at the museum
artist’s estate to replace some of the museum’s collection with descrip-
aged found objects. The figure holds tions from different members of the
a steno pad and the staff had an en- local community. The museum also
tertaining time deciphering the notes created a coloring book inspired by
left behind by previous owners of the pieces in their permanent collec-
sculpture in both cursive and short- tion, which is available to download
hand, adding to the provenance. from the museum’s website, and
The Lilley’s Art at Home, a series
of activities for children, providing
nevada parents with resources to keep their
kids busy while teaching them art.
Many of Nevada’s museums have The museum also shared interviews
reopened (with restrictions) over with contemporary artists conducted
the last six months, including all by Vivian Zavataro, Director of The
of those represented by RC-WR Lilley Museum of Art, and poetry
members. Nevada’s museums have from University of Nevada, Reno
also been busy creating new ways to faculty members. During The Lilley’s
reach their communities despite the 30 days of art, The Lilley presented
challenges we all face. a glossary of art terminology repre-
sented by works from the museum’s
The Clark County Museum’s collection. Finally, The Lilley Mu-
Duane Hanson, Secretary, 1972.
temporary exhibit, Lines Across the seum and the Barrick Museum of
Collection of the Honolulu Museum
of Art. Land–Historic Maps of Southern Art shared collaborative pairings of
Nevada, closed on January 15th, and works from their respective collec-
Gift of Dawn and Duncan MacNaughton a new exhibit, Soft Focus, featuring tions on Instagram and Facebook,
21
in honor of Thurston Twigg-Smith, 2011
art quilts inspired by photographs in using the hashtag
(14419.1)
the museum’s collection will open on #SisterMuseumNV.
March 19th. Also, Museum Admin-The Neon Museum is open, but if the Nevada Health Care Heroes With more long-term closures in
you can’t visit in person, you can Medallion. Behind the scenes, each the Portland Metro area, the Oregon
visit their 360 Virtual Tour, web app, department has been using this rela- Jewish Museum and Center for
or blog. tively quiet time to re-organize and Holocaust Education ((OJMCHE)
assess collections, determine future continued their innovative
The Nevada Museum of Art has projects and re-tool spaces to en- programming with a new exhibit,
created virtual programs, providing hance our ability to share collections Shelter in Place. This exhibit is
ways to connect with the museum and stories. Looking ahead, many entirely viewable from the sidewalk
through artist talks, art discussions, of the adjustments made during the surrounding the museum. It includes
and online performances. pandemic will likely remain in place film, photography, and dance. Shelter
and have added to the museum’s in Place is an inquiry into social iso-
The Wilbur D. May Museum just toolbox for serving the citizens lation and the physical and emotion-
closed its exhibit Cloth as Commu- of Nevada. Sometimes al effects of anti-black racial violence.
nity: Hmong Textiles in America. positive things come from
getting out of our comfort
The Nevada State Museum, Carson zone and being forced to
City is currently open to the public explore new creative ideas.
at 25% capacity Wednesday through Museum staff are feeling
Saturday from 8:30am until 4:30 positive for 2021 and ener-
pm. All staff and public are required gized by the staff’s ability to
to wear masks, have their tempera- “pivot” and “re-tool”, and of
ture taken upon entry, and follow course to integrate fresh buzz-
CDC recommended guidelines. words into their vocabulary.
From the initial stage last March of
40% pay cuts and 100% museum
closure, they have gradually returned
to partial capacity and limited open
oregon
days. Through steady leadership and Oregon Museums
staff patience, staff now have one day Association hosted two
a month of furlough. Curatorial staff online workshops and a
has been occupied with expanding virtual happy hour meet up
outreach through social media posts, on Zoom. The first workshop
creation of digital content, and the focused on NAGPRA. Five
development of the Curator’s Cor- panelists with specialized
ner Series, which takes place live NAGPRA knowledge shared
and is also filmed to share later. The specific information on com-
museum has altered some of their pliance requirements, collec-
programming, such as the Frances tion evaluation, outreach to
Humphrey Lecture Series, Coin Native tribes and tools and Shelter in Place, by Adam McKinney
Press No. 1 demonstrations, and resources to navigate the intricacies at OJMCHE in Portland
minting of commemorative medal- of the repatriation process. The sec-
lions to a zoom format, but still offer ond workshop, presented in partner- After locals found the need to
these experiences in person with ship with Oregon Heritage, focused preserve the history of the city
22
social distancing. The museum raised on disaster preparedness for of Rainier, the
$4,625 for the Covid-19 Relief Fund collecting institutions. Rainier Oregon
during the summer and late fall with Historical Museumutah
After a difficult year, many of Utah’s
museums have reopened to the
public, adapting to shifting policies
and restricted hours and attendance.
We’ve all been closely following
Utah’s vaccination schedule to
determine what to expect from the
cultural sector in 2021.
Ground breaking for a ROHM
building October 28, 2020 on property
donated by Steve and Jan Oliva. Although closed to the public again, The Utah Museum of Fine Arts is
Photograph by Joanne Bernard the Oregon Historical Society open Wednesday to Saturday.
opened a new exhibit and took extra Like other institutions, they’ve
was founded in 2015. The non-prof-
photos of the space and some of the experienced all kinds of changes and
it started using a newly remodeled
objects in situ to create an expanded edits to their exhibition calendar.
space on the third floor of City Hall
exhibit page for people to view on- After a 5-month delay, they are
to do so, but with the overwhelming
line. The Carvings of Hallie Heacock opening an exciting new traveling
support and success of the museum,
displays a variety of ivory and wood exhibition organized by the
they started to quickly outgrow that
carvings done by Heacock which American Federation of Arts and
space. With a recent donation of
reflect life in the mid-20th Century The Studio Museum in Har-
property within the city, a ground
and memories from his time spent in lem. Black Refractions: Highlights
breaking for a new museum building
Alaska and Oregon. The OHS owns from The Studio Museum in
was held on October 28, 2020.
over 160 items Harlem opens in January. Their
that Heacock Collections and Exhibitions staff is
carved, etched, learning the ropes of working with
and sketched virtual couriers and making safe and
between 1904 smart decisions about teamwork in
and 1966. the time of Covid.
The Springville Museum of Art is
Heacock carved opening an exhibition about Utah’s
this from an environmental issues, working with
illustration called 14 local artists in various media. In
A Glob’s Life by
Walt Kelly, which
Sight, Out of Mind opens in January
appeared in and will be on display until August
LIFE Magazine 7th. Additionally, SMA’s Registrar
in 1952. was delighted to bring a total of 13
OHS Museum
artworks by female artists into their
71-56.118 permanent collection in 2020, a
significant improvement on 2019’s
total of one!
23washington
After initially closing to the public
in March, the Museum of Flight,
Seattle, was able to reopen to the
public in early September before
closing again in mid-November. In
September, MoF opened a refreshed
version of the WWII gallery, “Un-
told Stories: World War II at 75”.
This was the first major update to
this gallery since it opened in the
early 2000s. Even while the museum
was open to the public, most collec-
tions staff continued working from
home, performing database cleanup
tasks, adding to online collections,
and supporting other departments’
digital initiatives. Over the summer,
Ronnie and Cleveland,
the museum began offering Premi- Furthermore, Lane Eagles has joined by Marilyn Montufar, 2006.
um Experiences, most of which are the Bellevue Arts Museum curato- Gelatin silver print. 20 x 20 in.
behind the scenes tours. Several of rial team as Associate Curator on Photograph by Jueqian Fang
these tours focus on the collections December 7. Eagles has previously
department. Participants are allowed served in curatorial and collections collection online. Launched in
into aircraft interiors and collections roles for several Seattle area art October 2020 and using Gallery
storage areas usually not accessible to institutions, including Henry Art Systems’ EmbARK collections
the public. Collections staff pull and Gallery, Museum of Pop Culture, database and Web Kiosk software,
present themed artifact selections at and Burke Museum of Natural His- the project was the result of years
the end of the tour. The tours proved tory and Culture. She has also taught of planning and preparation by the
to be an extremely popular source of Art History and Fashion History dedicated collections staff: Chief
earned revenue, and a great oppor- courses at the University of Washing- Registrar/Head of Collections
tunity to educate visitors (and other ton, Seattle Pacific University, and Cory Gooch, Assistant Registrar
museum staff) about what collec- Cornish College of the Arts. Eagles Nives Meštrović, former Collections
tions professionals do. Programming earned her BA in Art History from and Exhibitions Assistant Kayla
is expected to continue into 2021, the University of Oklahoma and her Trail, and devoted volunteer
with several new tours being added. MA and PhD in Art History from Luanna S Gomez.
the University of Washington. In her collection.fryemuseum.org
In early November, Bellevue Arts new position at BAM, she will play
Museum, Bellevue, opened an ex- an essential role in furthering the The Boren Banner Series is a new
hibition Yellow No. 5, guest curated Museum’s unique mission focused public art initiative that reflects the
by Tariqa Waters of Martyr Sauce. on art, craft, and design. Frye’s commitment to showcasing
Additionally, they have also devel- Pacific Northwest artists (see image
oped a 3D virtual tour of the entire The Frye Art Museum in Seattle above). Presented biannually, the
24
museum for the first time, available is thrilled to announce a new and series allows local
here: bellevuearts.org/visit/3d-tours expanded way to experience its and regional artists
to create a new site-Frye staff Zooming Salon-style
specific work or show a previously bringing joy, respect, and dignity to
unexhibited piece at monumental people living with dementia while
scale in the form of a 16 x 20 ft. destigmatizing the disease. Since the
vinyl banner. The billboard-size Museum has been closed as a result
work is prominently sited on the of COVID-19 restrictions, a vir-
Museum’s most visible façade. The tual opening took place and all are
first work in the series is Ronnie and invited to take a virtual tour.
Cleveland (2006), a black-and-white
double portrait by Seattle-based Frye Salon Zoom Backgrounds
photographer, activist, and educator The Frye Salon exhibition was a re-
Marilyn Montufar. staging of the Museum’s Founding
Collection as it was installed in the
A new exhibition was installed at the home gallery of the museum found-
Frye mid-November to celebrate the ers, Charles and Emma Frye. The
10th anniversary of its Creative Ag- collection was hung in ‘salon-style,’
ing programs. Since 2010, the Frye filling the walls floor-to-ceiling with
has been at the forefront of museum paintings. To impress friends and
programming for people living with colleagues at your next virtual meet-
dementia and their care partners. ing, you can download the high-
Featuring artwork from program resolution image files here.
participants, Art on the Mind: Ten
Years of Creative Aging illustrates Happy Zooming!
the success of arts engagement in
25New Reads
by Nancy Arms Simon
Museum Collection Ethics:
Acquisition, Stewardship,
and Interpretation
By Steven Miller
Published by Rowan and
Littlefield, 2020
When the world and, by extension, the museum
field, change rapidly, it presents an interesting
conundrum for reviewing new reads. This edi-
tor views the information presented in the text
(at best) in a different light, scrutinizes it in a new
context, with new vocabulary, and places new
26
importance onto formerly insignificant
issues (or at worst, they view the
information as irrelevant).Museum Collections Ethics: Acquisition, Steward- chapters are broken up into areas that intersect
ship, and Interpretation by Steven Miller was pub- when it comes to collections ethics: governance
lished in 2020. Which means that Miller probably and trusteeship, authority (curators, specialists,
worked on the book through 2018 and/or 2019 and the intrinsic authority of collection objects),
and conceptualized it earlier than that. While by collecting methods, acquisition, authentication,
no means outdated or irrelevant, I read Museum stewardship and access, conservation as a highly
Collections Ethics through a lens shaped by the specialized academic and manual discipline, ex-
numerous events of 2020, which led me to ques- hibitions as a form of public communication and
tion things I might not have in the past. exhibition funding, collection loss, and industry
standard protocols. Miller explains these areas of
Miller smartly launches the book with the basics. museum collection ethics in clear, concise writing.
He chooses a working definition for “museum” Each chapter ends with questions for discussion
based on usage by the International Council of relating to the chapter topic, ideal for introduc-
Museums (ICOM). He points out the difference tory classes and group understanding. In the next
between museum collections ethics vs. law and edition, I hope Miller will add in a paragraph or two
explains how museums exist legally in the world about how the necessary protocols of Covid-19
and who is responsible for them. He points out affect the accession process.
that one must understand the purpose and evolu-
tion of museums to understand from where their Miller also includes eight useful appendices that
ethics spring. His purpose in writing the book, he contain the fine-tuned kind of documents museum
says, is to fill a void: no other recent publication professionals look for when trying to establish
has dealt comprehensively with collection ethics. museum-wide policy. The appendices include
Miller draws together prior research (his bibliogra- staff responsibilities in relationship to collections,
phy is solid and includes amongst its titles the international agreements defining illegal trafficking,
classic A Legal Primer on Managing Museum AAM curator and conservation codes of ethics,
Collections by Marie C. Malaro) and relevant, current scholarship around the respectful treat-
contemporary examples from his professional ment of human remains and the Native American
experience. I admired and chuckled at Miller’s Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA),
diplomacy when describing these experiences. a statement signed by multiple institutions on open
access and lastly, case study documents on mu-
I appreciated Miller’s brief historical description of seum transfers.
museums as “places of explanation”. I liked the
way he outlined why people trust museums as But there are moments in the book that are prob-
places of authority not only because museums lematic when viewed through the aforementioned
hold tangible objects, but also because museums lens of 2020. He claims, for example, that “Cumu-
define those original objects and use them as latively, I have acquired 1000s of objects” (italics
evidence. He frequently acknowledges mission mine) (Preface, p. xiii). It sounds to me like one per-
clarity as the root of good museum ethics and son taking ownership of the work of many. I admit
returns to it as a common point of origin to make that this small choice of words colored my reading
ethical decisions in the museum workplace. I ap- of the book, but these are the subtle uses of lan-
plaud the arguments Miller makes about how it is guage that make labor invisible. Later he mentions
not ethical to try to have a museum while failing to “hands-on” staff like preparators and art handlers,
be a viable organization. but from the perspective of management of them,
27
not as an indication of the trust these
After the introduction on the role of museums, the professionals deserve or the owner-ship they hold over their work. With the term “es- Online
sential work and essential workers” embedded in
our collective conscience now, any book written
with 2020 in mind must acknowledge the work for The quarterly New Read doesn’t always spark a
which “hands-on” staff are responsible as well as tie-in with recent online articles. However, Museum
the arguments for equity in wages, benefit, and Collection Ethics presented two chapters that
gratitude for which workers struggle. He attempts reminded me of recent articles I had read on
some modesty (“I’m sure I have either neglected museum board ties to Jeffrey Epstein and price
aspects of importance or given them short shrift. I gouging of Prison Industrial Complex victims.
apologize for these failures,”) but also claims that Chapter two (Museum Governance) starts by
he has “started a focused conversation that will describing the fiduciary responsibilities of board
permeate the field…” (p. xiii), as if this conversation members and the need for transparency around
didn’t exist before his book. personal collecting habits and the museum collec-
tions that the board members influence. There is a
Besides being a great resource for people just be- good discussion of conflict-of-interest disclosure
ginning to learn about the museum field, Museum forms and what they really provide. The section
Collection Ethics is a huge asset for long estab- on trustee members’ behavior in civic capacity
lished museums in creating a Code of Ethics and truly grabbed my attention. Miller points out that
reviewing their activities for ethics. Miller provides “too often the good ethical behavior expected of
“ethics checklists” for procedures of provenance, board members is assumed rather than stated or
acquisitions, and deaccessions. The checklists required in any official way” (p. 13) It made me ask
literally have sentences you may find yourself say- myself, “What do we require of our board mem-
ing. For example, if you find yourself in an acqui- bers’ reputation within our organization and in the
sition discussion and someone says, “We have world at large?” Museums’ Codes of Ethics gen-
been looking for such an object for years,” that erally target employees, but not board members.
falls under an “ethical” reason to acquire the work. Why do we inherently trust people in positions of
If, however, someone says “We can sell it later power, or people with wealth?
for something we really want,” that falls under the
“questionable” arguments. (p. 58) Since museums Chapter twelve (Museum Collections Ethics
claim to be places of truth, authenticity of objects is Standards) also deals with museums’ reputations
vital and sticking to your mission keeps you out of as assets not only for the museum in question
unethical waters. but also for museums in general. When one
museum falls from grace, other museums must go
Overall, Museum Collection Ethics is a strong, out of their way to prove they are not one of the
comprehensive, affordable guide on the ethics bad guys.
around museum collections. It would be excellent
as a required reading for Museum Studies pro- I have listed a few of the articles I’ve read in the
grams, as well as museum board members and past year about the personal dealings of high-
trustees, or museum employees who don’t have profile museum board members. Museum staff
a formal background in Museum Studies. The have long questioned (and the public is now clam-
manual is not too academic for people new to the oring for) accountability when it comes to personal
field, but interesting and valuable enough for the ethics for board members, trustees, and donors
seasoned museum professional. of objects as well as funds. In particular, some of
28
the best known museums are deal-
ing with the old adage that “behindevery great fortune is a crime” and there is a call for • Leon Black Paid at Least $50 Million
divestment or removal of these people from posi- to Jeffrey Epstein
tions of power in our museums. Artnet News, October 13, 2020
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/art-industry-
As class division has increased, museums have news-october-13-2020-1914931
come to rely more heavily on the 1% to support
their efforts and we’ve rewarded them with deci- • The Billionaire Who Stood by Jeffrey Epstein
sion-making positions and trusteeships. The elite By Matthew Goldstein, Steve Eder and David
holds more of the collective wealth than ever be- Enrich, Published Oct. 12, 2020 and updated
fore and they decide to whom they will dole it out. Oct. 13, 2020
Sometimes they give it to museums (with a tidy tax https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/12/business/
deduction for their trouble) and we are grateful. But leon-black-jeffrey-epstein.html
there is a question brewing now about whether
those dollars should be distributed more equitably • Guerrilla Girls Target MoMA Trustees With Ties
in the first place, and the average person should be to Jeffrey Epstein in an Ad Takeover
allowed to decide where to spend them. Questions by Hakim Bishara, November 12, 2019
also arise around whether we want people govern- https://hyperallergic.com/527973/guerrilla-girls-
ing our museums who don’t understand the lives target-moma-trustees-with-ties-to-jeffrey-epstein-
of the general public and especially people who in-an-ad-takeover/
run with a morally bankrupt crowd. What should
be the penalties and legal ramifications of unethical • Tom Gores, Owner of Prison Telecom Company,
behavior when a person can’t be fired like a regular Resigns From LACMA Board
employee? Can we trust others on the board to by Matt Stromberg, Hyperallergic, October 9, 2020
hold them accountable when they’re all benefitting https://hyperallergic.com/593822/tom-gores-re-
from the same games? signs-from-lacma-board/
It is a quandary to be sure, and I don’t claim to • Ranking New York’s Most Toxic Museum Boards
know the answer. If we complain too much about by Whitney Mallett and Katy Schneider
how the rich kids are playing the game, they may Vulture, AUG. 7, 2019
very well take their toys and leave the playground. https://www.vulture.com/2019/08/new-york-most-
Who then will pay for the enormous costs of sus- toxic-museum-boards.html
taining a museum when there hasn’t yet been a
dramatic re-distribution of wealth?
29You can also read
