
As the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences in Sydney undertakes a restructure, downsizing staff numbers as it endeavours to become more nimble and sustainable, curators will soon be re-applying for their jobs. My thoughts turn to the often envied, sometimes maligned, role of the curator and to curatorial competencies.
What makes a competent curator?
After almost 30 years of experience, I’ve come to the conclusion that one of the most important attributes of a competent curator, is the ability to be discerning (though I’m not exactly sure how one would go about measuring this capability). I’d be interested to hear your views on which attribute you think is most important.
Being discerning involves standing one step back from your own personal preferences, choosing not necessarily what you like, but what’s significant in context. I think this is one of the least understood of all the curatorial roles, and together with the ability to make smart connections between objects, one of the most important. In being discerning, curators make complex decisions about what to acquire, and what the most appropriate juxtaposition of objects and ideas might be in displays. How often have I heard it assumed that a curator loves something simply because they’ve chosen it for display or acquisition? This simplistic view is offensive. Personal taste shouldn’t take precedence in curatorial work. Personal preference is one of the last emotions one brings to professional considerations when assessing, collecting or curating – not the first. Does a talented teacher look for learning tools that they like, or do they seek the most appropriate resource for the individual student’s learning needs or style?
Paradoxically, curating still requires a passion for objects, but in equal measure it involves a thirst for knowledge, an understanding of how things are made and how things work, and a willingness to share this knowledge, passion and understanding with others. It requires the ability to undertake complex research, and an understanding of people. Curators need to be able to communicate complex concepts and ideas succinctly and engagingly to colleagues and clients (including artists and designers) then help find strategies which communicate these concepts and ideas innovatively and coherently to diverse audiences.
Curating is complex
In 2006, I developed an exhibition for the 2006 Sydney Design Festival titled “In your face: contemporary graphic design”. I didn’t necessarily go about choosing contemporary work that I loved, nor only the work of Australia’s leading design studios. Rather, I decided to be more discerning – decided to select works which exemplified where graphic design was at that moment – when the boundaries between art and design were blurring, boutique multi-disciplinary design studios were springing up all around the inner-city, animation and motion graphics were becoming increasingly prevalent, tattoos were for everyone, handmade retro type was being generated in response to the impersonal domination of standardized computer-generated fonts, lomography slipped into advertising campaigns, and websites and mobile devices were capturing the imagination of illustrators and designer toy makers.

This approach wasn’t necessarily explained in the exhibition, it was purely a part of the curatorial process. 16 case studies were selected – some of the more esoteric, like Reg Mombassa’s Aussie Jesus or Josh Roelink’s tattoo designs, almost rejected. I fought to retain them all. With curatorial projects, uneasy inveigling is sometimes required to rationalise prioritizing, meaning, significance and aesthetics. Eventually 16 case studies remained – short TVCs, supersized graphics, comics, 3 minute mobile phone animations and tattoos alongside logo design, typefaces, book design, poster design, brand identity and way-finding.

The show’s diverse and surprising content was well received by Museum audiences, especially students and culturally active young adults (some coming with older parents and grandparents). It was perhaps slightly less well received (but in no way totally rejected) by traditional graphic design practitioners who may have expected a celebration of past professional practice. This too may have been valid, but not necessarily the best, or only, fit for the Museum’s Sydney Design audience. Similar debates arose around the Love Lace exhibition a few years later when it pushed the boundaries of lacemaking in preference to making an assessment of traditional practice. Curating is complex and it often involves making difficult decisions.
Love to hear your thoughts on this topic, especially any misconceptions you have experienced around the role of the curator, or what you feel is the most significant attribute of a competent curator. Happy to answer questions.
Written by Anne-Marie Van de Ven, Curator, Design and Society
quite inspirational reading…
RT @phmuseum: The Art of Curating : http://t.co/S1JUyDLFTl
RT @phmuseum: The Art of Curating : http://t.co/S1JUyDLFTl
RT @phmuseum: The Art of Curating : http://t.co/S1JUyDLFTl
@phmuseum how can I contact Anne-Marie?
I think its great to discuss the theory and practice of curating , thanks Anne-Marie
Thanks Anni
You do an excellent job keeping the Inside the Collection blog alive.
My email is – annem@phm.gov.au
RT @phmuseum: The Art of Curating : http://t.co/S1JUyDLFTl
This is an inspiring and relevant reflection on the critical role of the curator in the museum context. Powerhouse Museum has been a stand out in Australia’s museums, in addressing design and contributing to the growing contemporary design environment while simultaneously growing interest in the collections. It is important to appreciate this vital interconnection.
Hi Dianne
Glad you enjoyed the post and support the Museum.
Anne-Marie
Glad you found the post inspiring too Deborah – what’s your suggestion for most valuable skill in innovative curation?
RT @phmuseum: I think its great to discuss the theory and practice of curating , thanks Anne-Marie http://t.co/MkkZC9iJnH
Nice piece on being a curator which highlights the challenge of exhibit design to reveal complex processes and ideas. http://t.co/2AhIjGTgbA
RT @sebchan: Nice piece on being a curator which highlights the challenge of exhibit design to reveal complex processes and ideas. http://t…
Curating is complex MT “@sebchan: being a curator: challenge of exhibit design to reveal complex processes & ideas. http://t.co/TiOxWvumOo”
RT @clairepowerart: Curating is complex MT “@sebchan: being a curator: challenge of exhibit design to reveal complex processes & ideas. htt…
RT @phmuseum: The Art of Curating : http://t.co/S1JUyDLFTl
RT @sebchan: Nice piece on being a curator which highlights the challenge of exhibit design to reveal complex processes and ideas. http://t…
RT @clairepowerart: Curating is complex MT “@sebchan: being a curator: challenge of exhibit design to reveal complex processes & ideas. htt…
RT @phmuseum: The Art of Curating : http://t.co/S1JUyDLFTl
RT @phmuseum: I think its great to discuss the theory and practice of curating , thanks Anne-Marie http://t.co/MkkZC9iJnH
I do too, thanks MG
RT @phmuseum: The Art of Curating : http://t.co/S1JUyDLFTl
Seb Chan shared an indepth piece on collections and curating in response to this post on FB. See: http://thinkwritepublish.org/the-narratives/collective-forgetting
The Art of Curating http://t.co/0Q67YW2Fpj by our very own Powerhouse Museum. #phmuseum #curating
http://t.co/IqV7yeO4qI
RT @sebchan: Nice piece on being a curator which highlights the challenge of exhibit design to reveal complex processes and ideas. http://t…
I find there is a common misconception that ‘design’ is all about the beautiful things of now. This belief also frames people’s views on design curatorship. Many of the driving concepts in design may not be seen, but have a critical influence on our lives such as the development of plastics or innovative fibres. Good curatorship can focus attention on ideas that greatly influence design, that might otherwise go unremarked, whether contemporary or in the past. A vast collection, such as that of the Powerhouse Museum, enables curators to present deeper and broader perspectives and honour the creative minds of many generations.
“Making smart connections” is especially salient. Researching our model of the Turbinia I discovered that Rudyard Kipling penned the line “lest we forget” as a witness to the Spithead Review where the Turbinia made marine engineering history. Curators are indeed the guardian’s of our collective memory.
I agree Lindie Now there’s a curatorial challenge – to curate an ‘unseen design’ exhibition. Maybe the ‘beautiful things of now’ are purely fashion (the other meaning of fashion)?
In his article (http://exhibitdev.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/outsourcing-the-curatorial-impulse-part-one/?blogsub=confirming#blog_subscription-3), Ed Rodley notes, “If I had to characterize the essence of present-day curation, it would be “sense-making”. That makes sense to me.