Our Exhibit

Posted by Carrie at Tuesday, February 09, 2010

I spent some time looking over Dr. Castaneda's museum links this afternoon, trying to focus mostly on learning about baskets, since I know virtually nothing about them. Based I my perusing, I've started brainstorming some ideas for our exhibit:

I like the idea Dr. Castaneda mentioned last week about focusing on the Cottons, and on the difference between a collector and donor. We could make displays talking about how something (like a basket) goes from maker to collector, to donor, and then finally what happens at the museum--donation process, accessioning, and care. We could also have a discussion on NAGPRA. Maybe we could follow an object through the reparation process. This would be a hypothetical object, I'm not suggesting we display anything that is culturally sensitive. Do you guys think this type of exhibit would be interesting enough for the general public?

I found this great site (thanks to our professor!), and I was thinking maybe we could focus on the collection of objects, with the Cotton collection in particular. Maybe we could do something like a compare/contrast of objects (baskets) made to be used and those made for collectors and tourists. In that same vein, we could also focus on baskets as objects to be used verses as art (function vs. form). I haven't seen any of the Cotton collection yet, so I don't know if this idea would work at all, but it was floating in my head so I figured no harm in throwing the idea out there!

Alright, that's all I have for now. Have a good evening all!

 

Labels:

5 Comments:

  1. Holly said...
    February 11, 2010 at 5:39 AM  
    I'm rereading your post for the exhibit - will the "compare/constrast the objects made to be used"....be part of the object going from maker to collector to donor or was that meant to me its own thing?
    Carrie said...
    February 11, 2010 at 6:55 AM  
    That was a separate idea. after re-reading it myself, I notice that I forgot to actually say that those were two different ideas...whoops =)
    Laura said...
    February 11, 2010 at 10:56 PM  
    Now that we've seen our objects, that sounds like a very good and appropriate idea. I like focusing more on a particular object's transition through "life." I haven't seen the Maidu opening yet (obviously), but I know the CA Museum already has various uses and production as part of it's CA Indian basket exhibit. We could have something a little different.
    Amanda said...
    February 15, 2010 at 11:06 PM  
    I think that we should dedicate the small, flat case on the south wall to the Cotton's, and also we should put a map of California with the pertinent areas of the state for their collecting highlighted on the wall above the case. Carrie, Mary and I were also discussing how we would possibly juxtapose the process of accessioning an artifact vs. de-accessioning an artifact because of NAGPRA. Also, I suggested that putting pictures on the wall with information about the different ways baskets are constructed and for what reasons, so people will think of them as tools as well as cultural materials.
    Mary Benton said...
    February 16, 2010 at 9:27 PM  
    Carrie, I read the "Collecting and Change in Native American Basketry" article and think we can incorporate some of the wording as to why the general public began collecting. Maybe put it in the collection process section.

Post a Comment



Newer Post Older Post Home

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Blogger Template by Blogcrowds