This very brief application is due Tuesday Sept 12th at 4pm. Students will be notified by the evening of Sept 12th.
This micro-credential course, an opportunity available to eight graduate students, will meet in-person and over Zoom (to accommodate guest speakers) during the fall 2023 term. Classes will meet on the following Thursdays, 1–3 pm ET:
* Class 1: September 28 ( in person);
* Class 2: October 5 (Zoom);
* Class 3: October 26 (Zoom);
* Class 4: November 2 (in person);
* Class 5: November 16 (in person)
This course, facilitated by Rachel Chatalbash (Deputy Director for Research, Yale Center for British Art) and Stéphanie Machabée (Postdoctoral Research Associate, Yale Center for British Art), explores the art museum exhibition. It asks: What is an art museum exhibition and what does it aim to achieve? What decisions inform the curation of an art museum exhibition? More specifically, this course offers a holistic approach to the art museum exhibition.
Participants will read critical texts that examine the history, politics, and ideologies of display, while also engaging with museum professionals to learn about aspects of museum practices today, ranging from planning to installation, communication and marketing, and education and programs.
Participants in “The Art Museum Exhibition” will:
* Learn directly from curators about their main responsibilities and concerns when organizing an exhibition
* Identify installation considerations, such as preserving displayed objects, supporting visitor accessibility, and others
* Explore how to incorporate educational opportunities and events in an exhibition’s programming and outreach
* Discuss the importance of promoting an exhibition and identify effective marketing strategies
Meetings are divided into two parts: speakers from the Yale Center for British Art and other museums will share insights about their work and experiences with the art museum exhibition, and participants will consider and apply these lessons to in-class discussions and exercises. Through group dialogue and feedback, participants will build a deeper understanding of and practical skills for developing an art museum exhibition.
Over the course of the term, participants will have the opportunity to complete the following exercises:
* Critique and identify strategies for writing concise and informative object labels
* Discuss exhibition installation considerations such as lighting, wall mounts, and display cases
* Write a social media post promoting an exhibition
* Develop a short guided tour of an exhibition
This course will use the exhibition “In a New Light: Paintings from the Yale Center for British Art,” currently on view at the Yale University Art Gallery, as a case study for exploring the different components of the art museum exhibition.
All participants will receive ICOM (International Council of Museums) membership cards, granting them free admission to ICOM member institutions and allowing participants to explore exhibitions across different museums.
Preparation and assignments:
* Required readings, limited to 3 hours of advance preparation per meeting
* 2 short assignments, limited to 1 hour of advance preparation each
* Short guided tour (10 minutes max), preparation time up to the student’s discretion
