Saving the World from Boredom

April 12 – May 31, 2013
Helen Christou Gallery

Curator: Bianca Elke, Museum Studies Intern
Works from the Galt Museum & Archives, Faculty of Fine Arts Theatre and Dramatic Arts Costume Collection and the U of L Art Collection

In conjunction with Historic Lethbridge Festival
May 3 – 10, 2013

During the 1960s, an inspiring and visible counterculture was born. Referring to themselves as hippies, this movement triggered dramatic cultural changes due to the rejection of conventional social norms from the 1940s and ‘50s as well as opposition to powerful institutions. The youth wanted to become more involved in decision making and were determined to speak up about social issues, such as supporting the civil rights movement and objecting to the war in Vietnam. This was an era when new forms of political activism appeared that included “love-ins” and other peaceful protests as well as harsh responses from government and police.

Along with taking a stand on political issues, people were exploring unconventional personal appearance, music, art, drugs and sexual liberation. New forms of music and festivals like Woodstock played a key role in spreading the counter cultural ideas and spirit. Communal living and other alternatives to Capitalist social structures were explored. Artists were moving away from traditional high art forms, such as painting and sculpture, and began producing a profusion of prints and other types of multiples. Influenced by the changes in society, artists drew their inspiration from Life magazine and other aspects of popular culture and embraced unexpected materials, performances and chance. The work shown in this exhibition contain elements of Pop Art, Fluxus, Postmodern and Abstract Expressionist art, movements that were all going on simultaneously during the 1960s.

Bianca Elke
Museum Studies Intern

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Bianca Elke

As a second year student, my main attention during the museum studies internship with the U of L Art Gallery will be directed towards curating my own exhibition in the Helen Christou gallery. This experience will provide the opportunity to select works from the U of L art collection as well as the Galt museum. I know that with curating my own exhibition and being allowed to select artwork for the gallery, I am given a lot of responsibility. Many students as well as professors are going to see what I have chosen to display and my evaluation will be based on these projects. I am excited to start this journey and work together with the Art Gallery staff. I aim to bring art closer to people who are not as involved through their classes or private interests in art, as well as trying to use the database to my advantage and to find hidden gems of art that have not been shown before.

Having grown up in Germany, I am also interested in learning about the day-to-day activities of a Canadian art gallery. I will be working with the collection, helping prepare work for travel to other galleries and participating in conservation projects. Besides assisting the Gallery with “hands on” operations, the Gallery also hosts functions that are designed to involve the community on many levels, in which I am also excited to be involved.

Andrea Kremenik
As a fourth year Art History/ Museums Studies major and a Management minor I have not only been interested in learning about art itself, but also the business of art institutions. For that reason I hope to gain insight into how the University of Lethbridge art gallery, as a collecting gallery within an academic setting, differs from that of a civic gallery. I hope to understand this by comparing the knowledge gained from this Museum Studies internship to that of my previous internship at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery. The Museum Studies internship will allow me to learn many skills, such as basic curatorial responsibilities by entrusting me to navigate the U of L art database and find works from the University’s acclaimed collection. For instance, I will have the opportunity to choose Inuit objects for display and will curate a small exhibit on John Clark plus write a feature on him for SAM magazine. Having these opportunities in comparison to my internship at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery, where I was able to gain insight into a non- collecting contemporary art gallery, will give me a well-rounded experience. These two opportunities will allow me to draw on theoretical knowledge within a hands-on environment which will give me an advantage when applying for potential jobs in the future.

Alysha Smith
The Art History and Museum Studies internship is giving me the opportunity to research, draft, compose and conduct programs for the GALT Museum and Archives. I will be creating these programs based on the exhibit themes at the museum which will include science, wind and religion. I also have the opportunity to get hands on experience by running some of these programs with children and adults.
As a future teacher I hope to gain more experience in lesson planning and teaching from creating these programs. Academically I hope to gain better research skills and applied knowledge on the above topics. I also hope to learn more about how museums utilize their resources and their community outreach efforts.

David Smith
Based on the positive experiences I have had in my five previously completed internships, I was eager to sign up for another! I can see how these opportunities have allowed me develop practical skills which have been reinforced by hands-on work. This semester I am building on the curatorial skills that I’ve been able to gain in my previous internships.

An area of personal interest that has arisen from my academic research is the subject of Canadian identity in art. Two curatorial projects have emerged from my investigation on the subject and are the basis for my current internship. The first, titled Glorious and Free, is an exhibition in the Helen Christou Gallery using works from the University of Lethbridge Art Gallery’s permanent collection. The second is a multi-venue exhibition taking place in the summer of 2013 featuring Lethbridge artist Arianna Richardson. Both of these projects allow me to build on the skills afforded to me through previous internships.

It is beneficial for me to get as much experience as possible before graduation so that I will be empowered to contribute meaningfully to the contemporary art discourse through my curatorial practice. I am very grateful to the University of Lethbridge Art Gallery for the opportunity to do so.

Lauren Glenn
Art History was not something that I had every envisioned myself majoring in when I first began my university degree, let alone enrolling in museum studies as well. However after my first year of general studies and having randomly chosen art history classes, I very quickly fell in love and knew this was the career I want to pursue. I am delighted to have the opportunity this semester to be working at the Galt Museum in the collections department, with Kevin Maclean. There is an immense amount of history here in Southern Alberta and the Galt discovers this knowledge through acquisitions from the community. In working with Kevin, I will be able to understand and learn the great detail and skill that is required when dealing with artefacts; this includes the handling, storage, photographing and preservation of these items. In addition I will have the opportunity to be taught documentation and research methods that are done for objects to further understand their history and how they relate to this part of the province.

Along with learning new information and skills, there are other goals that I want to achieve during my internship at the Galt. There are many ways I could further my education and I hope this work experience will help me to pin point where I would like to go after my undergraduate degree is complete. I look forward to investigating career opportunities that are available and how the information I have learned in my studies can be applied in the work field. To extend my knowledge, I want to learn how museums operate when it comes to acquisitions and dealing with donors as well as storage and preservation of artifacts. Having the community involved in the museum is an essential part of the Galt’s mission and I will be able to interact with its members through gathering information about donated objects. I have recently had the opportunity to sit in on an interview of a donor from the early 1990s when he was asked to come in and be interviewed more in-depth about the piece he donated. This was an eye opening experience for me and allowed me to understand how important gathering and documenting information about these artifacts can be and I wish to participate in more of these events. Most importantly I wish to understand the techniques to help preserve the vast history that is being housed in the Galt and to help acquire more information to further appreciate the pieces they hold.

Rachael Gough
Museums and galleries are critical in the maintenance and growth of the arts community. The future of museums and the arts as a whole rests in the hands of our up and coming generations. Young people possess a strong desire to learn and feel a constant thirst for knowledge. If we as a community wish to keep the arts alive and thriving, we must foster a love for the arts in the minds of young people. I believe a great way to get the upcoming generations interested in art is through public programming. As a third year studio major looking to get accepted into education, I have chosen a focus on public programming. Assisting with teaching classes at the Bowman Community Arts Center and helping with Culture Vulture Saturdays will give me insight into art education. My ultimate goal is to teach children and I believe art will always have a place in schools and in life. Therefore I believe gaining experience within the public programming spectrum will allow me to teach art effectively and instill it into the young children who will one day run the world in which we live. To further my education I have been learning several skills that will help me in both assisting with public programming, but also throughout my career, such as clay firing and clay recycling. I will also be assisting with the location change of the Bowman Community Arts Center in spring 2013. As well as a gaining a new, larger building, it will mean more classes, more options, and even more art experiences for children and the community as a whole.

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Kirsten Christopherson
Over the last four years of my post secondary education I have been able to discover a personal passion for both art and artefacts. Given my natural interest in history, these remnants of the past bring stories to life. My personal feelings when around these objects are something I would love to bring to others in the future as I hope to ignite sparks in those who may not have had the opportunity before. Therefore, I now feel it is the perfect time to get hands-on training in a gallery setting to apply to future career prospects as I will be done my Bachelor of Arts in just a few short months.

With that being said, I hope to achieve a number of specific goals during my time at the University of Lethbridge Art Gallery. I am interested to see how my schooling has prepared me for this, as well as to see if the passion I have both in the classroom and in galleries carries forward into working in the industry. I look forward to working under Juliet Graham this semester as she has already told me about her personal career history, which varies from a private conservator to her current position as registrar. I have found her to be extremely helpful and willing to answer any questions I have about her decisions and will definitely use her advice and experience in my own path. I value her knowledge and hope to learn more about her experiences in the art field. This insight will ideally give me the advice I need to pursue my passion.

Other than the practical advice and feeling confident working in the new setting of the gallery, I expect to learn a number of hands on things as well. I would like to learn proper art handling, preservation, photographing, condition reporting, testing and some basic conservation techniques. Based on the “Caring for the Collection” conservation exhibit project I have started with Juliet, I expect I will learn this thoroughly. I also look forward to helping Juliet brainstorm ideas for this exhibit and learn more about the curatorial process.

Last but not certainly not least, I hope to get acquainted with the university’s collection and expand my art historical knowledge. I am looking forward to this semester and all it will bring me.

David Smith
Having three previously completed internships under my belt, I recognize the incredible value that these experiences provide. This semester I have decided build upon two of my previous internships. Working with the Applied Studies Office and Josephine Mills has allowed me to tailor each of my applied studies at the Galt Museum and Archives and the University of Lethbridge Art Gallery to develop new skills and gain practical experience.

Conducting research on the military collection at the Galt Museum has given me the opportunity to experience the ongoing care that permanent collections receive. Interviewing previous donors and descendants of war veterans has allowed me to see firsthand the way public collections serve as an incredible resource to the community. I am thoroughly enjoying the emotional attachment I develop by connecting on a personal level to the stories of real people’s lives.

At the University of Lethbridge Art Gallery, I have the privilege of working on an advanced curatorial project of my own creation. This internship will allow me to work with a contemporary artist, develop my own theme, secure an exhibition space and apply for grant funding. All of these aspects will serve me well after I complete my degree and continue to pursue my career as a curator.

My internships this semester at the Galt Museum and the University Art Gallery represent my fourth and fifth internships respectively. Internships are an excellent way to get your foot in the door, gain practical experience, and get academic credit. They have certainly enhanced my educational experience.

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Allison Spencer
As a 4th year Art History/Museum Studies student, it is my last year to gain as much experience and skill that the University of Lethbridge Art Gallery has to offer and that I can take with me to future job opportunities. My ultimate goal, post graduation, is to work in the area of public programming in a cultural institution. As a Public Programming Gallery Intern I have been given the opportunity to take responsibility for the programs which the U of L Art Gallery offers, such as Culture Vulture Saturday’s and online educational programs.

Working closely in developing and enhancing the programs offered by the U of L Art Gallery, I am able to learn skills such as program development and distributing information about the events. I am researching public programs offered by the other cultural institutions in Lethbridge, and surrounding areas, in order to assess their context and help determine the direction for future U of L Art Gallery programs that could be used within schools. The U of L Art Gallery internship will allow me to gain further knowledge in my area of specialization and give me the opportunity to apply my skills to the development of educational and interactive art activities for people of all ages.

Bonnie Patton
I’ve had a lifelong interest in arranging things, and this interest has grown into an inquiry into how the arrangement or display of objects and ideas affect how the object or idea is perceived. This idea applies to academic, social, and political life (such as curriculum, advertising, and propaganda). One hub that is open for exploration, in this regard, is the museum or art gallery. Here, objects are arranged in a way that is meant to convey or provoke relations and associations between the objects on display and grander ideas in a general theme.

I have taken both the Introduction and Critical Issues in Museum Studies courses and I have also been working at the University of Lethbridge Library for the past four years. I aim to take these experiences in collections theory and practice and apply them to my internship here at the U of L Art Gallery. I anticipate learning more about collections and exhibitions; mainly how to organize and improve collections, and to from 1974 to 2000, and create digital records of these exhibitions. I will also write about select art work in the Legend, assist with installing exhibitions, and learn about other ways of presenting ideas by helping DodoLab conduct their Lethbridge Pizza survey for the public. In short, my goal is to see how these things are done and to learn how to do them myself.

David Smith
As I was planning the trajectory of my third year academics in the Art History/Museum Studies program, I began looking for internship opportunities to incorporate into my learning strategy. Hearing only positive reflections from past interns about their experiences at the Galt Museum and Archives, I organized an internship through the Applied Study Office, supervised by Josephine Mills. As a past intern at the University of Lethbridge Art Gallery, I have recognized the value that internships present to students like myself. Working in the Collections Department at the Galt Museum and Archives has allowed me to gain insight into how art galleries operate similarly and differently to public museums. Many of the skills I have been working on through this internship are transferrable between the two institutions such as: object handling, research, operating databases, and permanent collections maintenance.

It is my desire to pursue a career as a curator, after I complete my education. I am particularly interested in the capacity curators have to shape identity and ideology. I respect the role curators play in presenting the public with a variety of alternative ideas. Planning exhibitions which challenge the ways people think about and interpret contemporary art is something I am very excited about. Both my past experience at the University of Lethbridge Art Gallery and my current internship at the Galt Museum allow me to develop the skills necessary to pursue this career.

Jennifer Vanderfluit
After working as an Archival Technician during a previous internship, I saw an opportunity to expand my knowledge of museum practice by working with Belinda Crowson in the Education and Programs department of the Galt Museum and Archives. Even though I plan on pursuing a career in archives, I think that branching out is important. Not only do many smaller institutions combine departments, but I believe that knowing how the other parts of an institution work promotes effective co-operation between departments.

Currently I am working on the Memory Box project. This involves the maintenance and creation of small collections for use in the community by individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. These collections, or memory boxes, are grouped around various themes like “school days.” It is important to incorporate as many of the senses as possible because any number of things can trigger a memory: the smell of crayons, the sound of a school bell, or the feel of a black-board eraser.

Not only will I have to make sure that the boxes meet the interests and ability levels of the users, it is important that those users are aware of the program. This involves successfully marketing a museum program to its target audience and I look forward to learning about this area of museum operations.

This is my third internship in the Art History/Museum Studies program at the University of Lethbridge and my second at the Galt. The AHMS program in the Art Department and the Career Resource Centre make setting up subsequent internships a painless process. I have found that the internship program is an excellent way to get valuable field experience and academic credit at the same time.