the british museum international training programme final ......interdisciplinary fields (sculpture,...
Post on 19-Apr-2020
5 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
1
British Museum International Training Programme - Final Report
by Dr. Dilek Karaaziz Şener (ITP 2018, Turkey)
Marie-Louise von Motesiczky Charitable Trust Fellow
I was just fifteen years old when I decided to be an art historian. I had very little knowledge about what to do
and how, and what direction I would follow but I remember my determination and that I was ready to do
whatever it takes to set my direction. For this reason I never worried that my dreams would be shattered or
would not come true. In 2018, I had the chance to make my dreams come true and I feel even more certain
about my projects for the future, my museum and my students.
Since 2005, I am the vice director of Hacettepe University Art Museum having also had taken part in the
foundation of this museum and the conservation and enrichment of the collection. At the same time, I give
theoretical courses at Hacettepe University Faculty of Fine Arts which offers academic education in the
interdisciplinary fields (sculpture, painting, ceramics, graphic design, interior, architecture) and is where the
foundations of the future collections are laid. I am aware that after the ITP 2018 training process, my
responsibility in the museum has increased. And this increase in responsibilities and contributions are
because, thanks to the ITP, I will be the future Director of Hacettepe Art Museum. The Presidency of
Hacettepe University has already started the work for me being the next museum director.
At Hacettepe Art Museum the protection of the collection; museum security; exhibitions and lending to other
museums; conservation; administration; visitor engagement; training; libraries and archives, inventories;
managing projects; communication with sponsors and supporters are among my responsibilities. Frankly,
before ITP I did not have much knowledge and experience in these important subjects and now, I can say that
thanks to the Programme, I immediately started to work towards re-structuring my museum and took
responsibility. I can see that there is a long journey and hardships in front of me but I believe that the ITP,
which not only has contributed to my training, will also be with me in overcoming each difficulty and help
fulfil my responsibilities.
Fellow Presentations (03 July 2018). I made a
presentation in English for the first time and in front
of an international audience. I will never forget it in
my life. I was happy to share information about my
museum, my field of work, the exhibitions which I
curated, my students and my family.
I made my first visit to London in 2004. I never forgot my British Museum experience which I had in the 5
day visit even after many years. Later on, the British Museum website has been my single reference point on
which I spend hours each day both when conducting examinations and research for the formation of the data
of my museum and for my courses in addition to developing my knowledge about the temporary exhibitions
of my museum.
2
I became aware of the ITP in 2006 and I dreamt of being one of the participants. I was always on a quest
about what kind of projects I could produce to become a good curator and for my museum to become the
museum of the future. With the e-mail I received from Claire Messenger (International Training Programme,
Manager, British Museum) that I was accepted to the ITP, I reached the happiness and joy of seeing that my
dreams have come true.
In 2018, I had two important experiences in my professional life.
The first one is that I curated the exhibition “Shaken Image” at
Istanbul Pera Museum where the artworks of the graduate students
of Hacettepe University Faculty of Fine Arts were displayed. The
second, and the most important one, is being among the
participants of the British Museum International Training
Programme
At this point, when I relook at the 43 days that I spent on the ITP,
I see how it is precious for me to participate in such a training
programme and that it gives me happiness in the name of my
profession, and museum and my students with whom I will share
all the experience I gained.
At the main entrance of The British Museum, I’m happy with my ID
card
When I was entering the British Museum from its main entrance on 2 July 2018, I repeated this to myself:
“You are here again Dilek! But this time you are here to learn all the data, applications, experiences and
techniques in museology!” I suppose the words are insufficient to explain how beautiful this feeling is and
what it means to develop self-confidence. All I can say is that after returning to my home country I am
looking again and again at the first day photo which Rebecca Horton (International Training Programme,
Coordinator, British Museum) took in front of the British Museum together with 23 participants and thinking
how lucky I am. In the same frame with the museum specialists, archaeologists, museum curators, museum
educators, conservators who are invited from all around the world (Azerbaijan, China, Croatia, Egypt, Greece,
India, Malaysia, Lebanon, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Rwanda, Sudan, Turkey, Uganda
and Guatemala, Senior Fellow 2018) we are smiling sincerely in front of our museum (The British Museum).
BM ITP 2018 all participants are together. The excitement and the
happiness of our first day can be read on our faces. This dynamism
that we saw on the first day increasingly continued until the last day,
without ever decreasing (02 July 2018, British Museum, all ITP
Fellows 2018)
3
ITP 2018 fellows and ITP team together with
Mrs Carey and her husband.
We visited Kenwood House and Hampstead
Heath (4 August 2018), where Ms. Frances
Carey hosted all the ITP 2018 participants at
her home where we had a great afternoon
with the cakes and tea which she prepared.
Moreover, a gift from my supporter, a book
titled The Undiscovered Expressionist, a
Life of Marie Louise von Motesiczky written
by Jill Lloyd has taken its place in my
bookcase. Now, I have started to translate
this book. Everyday I save time to read my
book for sure and take notes to use in my courses and engage in research.
Frances Carey shared her valuable knowledge and experiences about Kenwood House. Thanks to her I
encountered a special bliss once again – the Old Masters paintings display in the Dining Room at Kenwood
House. The dining room contains internationally significant paintings by Dutch and Flemish Old Master
painters and I saw Rembrandt’s Portrait of the Artist (c.1665). I will never forget that day. When I narrate the
story of Western art, I always say this to my students: “Definitely read the world classics and try to see and
internalize the masterpieces of art history in their place. Only if you can do this, you will appreciate the value
of the world’s heritage and gain experience and knowledge.”
Together with Frances
Carey, in front of
Rembrandt’s Portrait of the
Artist (c.1665) at Kenwood
House (04 August 2018,
Saturday)
Sharing my experiences
with the next ITP
participants is among the
first projects that I want to
realize. We have already
started with my students to
make a journey in the
history of humanity
through examining British Museum’s website, analysing, discussing and reviewing each period and
geography with its own cultural heritage. While engaging in all these works, I think about writing an “Object
in Focus” book about my memories. I have been working in order to let my students and the young artists
gain experience in this subject since I returned from London. Yes, the world is at the British Museum but
most important of all, the British Museum is a world museum.
4
Tour of the British Museum with Kusuma
Barnett (03 July 2018)
By examining the British Museum’s web
site I prepared resources and materials for
my students in the Graphic Design
Department to study. I will try to share all
the experiences which the ITP 2018
offered me with my students; to
restructure Hacettepe Art Museum and to
find new ways to overcome all the
difficulties whatever hardship I encounter
and not to give up trying. Raising future
museum curators and graphic designers will be possible only through this way and I will be creating a change
by transferring the experiences I gained to my country.
Another subject that I want to put into practice and work on is maintaining communication and professional
sharing with the participants from other countries. Guatemala, Croatia, Greece, India, Mexico, Oman, Egypt,
Lebanon are among the primary countries which I want to visit and work with. I whole-heartedly believe that
the training we received within the ITP, the experiences we had together and the sincerity of both friendship
and professional contact among us will help in the realization of these and future projects. Seeing how strong
and connected the ITP is as a result of being together with, and getting to know, the right professionals in the
field of museology, making the experiences in our countries and our fields of work come together in common
projects and being able to engage in sharing at a global level in an eye-opening and significant for both me
and Hacettepe Art Museum. I believe that we can manage to work together and conduct projects and leave a
gift to the world for the future.
Through our training process in the ITP 2018, all of us achieved new knowledge, qualifications and
experiences. With our professional sharing and strong friendships among us, we will initiate a change for our
countries and museums.
Left; ITP 2018 all fellows with Maria Bojanowska (Dorset Foundation Head of National Programmes), National
Partnerships with her presentation (20 July 2018). “We learnt in this presentation that nine million people in the UK
had come to see the museum’s collection from outside of London”)
5
Right;All ITP fellows with Abigail Thomas (Head of Enterprise & Business Systems in the Royal Pavilion at
Brighton), (10 July 2018)
Kew Gardens (07 July 2018), Brighton Museum and Art Gallery and The Royal Pavilion (10 July 2018),
Sutton Hoo (14 July 2018), Horniman Museum and Gardens (17 July 2018), Hever Castle and Gardens (21
July 2018), Kenwood House and Hampstead Heath visits were important both for knowing new places,
museums, art galleries, gardens and archaeological sites and experiencing different exhibition projects with
the presentations of curators and museum directors.
Left; Kenwood
House and
Hampstead trip with
Suruchika Chawla
(ITP 2018 from
India) and Amalia
Kakissis (ITP 2018
from Greece)
Right; Session on Collections Care; Collections Assistant training with Suruchika
Chawla (ITP 2018 from India) (09 July 2018)
In the period from 2 July to 4 August 2018, we had trips to many cities,
parks and gardens, museums, archaeological sites which are outside of London. All these trips enabled me to
gain experience, knowledge and approaches to various techniques of exhibitions and display, exhibition
spaces, plans, museum audiences and education as well as information about museum programmes. It was
very valuable for me to document all the areas that we visited, and I gained knowledge and experiences,
obtaining reference books and writings about museums and exhibitions and took detailed notes about the
presentations that were made. Through the trips we made our theoretical knowledge was further enriched with
seeing it in practice.
The trip we made to the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery on 10 July 2018 was interesting in terms of
examining two important exhibitions and the approaches and texts of their curators. The Museum of
Transology (a brave and bold display from Brighton’s trans-community) with Susan Eskdale (Community
Engagement Officer) and Queer Looks (expressing LGBTQ identity through fashion) with Martin Pel
(Curator of Fashion & Textiles) are among the exhibitions which I want to highlight and re-analyse and
research after returning home with respect to reading, understanding and stressing their significance in the
UK.
6
We look at Queer Looks display with Martin Pel (Curator of Fashion & Textiles). We were separated into two groups
that day. The other group joined with Susan Eskdale (Community Engagement Officer) and she talked about
Museum of Transology display.
In addition to these I saw the Gilbert & George exhibition at Brighton Museum Artist Rooms. Seeing this
exhibition is important for a curator of modern art. Artist Rooms Gilbert & George divides the exhibition
space into three galleries. The entrance gallery presents the artists’ early works from 1969 - 1981 as they react
to modernist ideas of the art object being independent from time and place. Gallery two, “The Head, The
Soul, the Sex”, follows the pair as they begin to create larger works and align themselves with homeless
people, disenfranchised young men and the graffiti artists, whose statuses as ‘outsiders’ resonates with the
artist experiences as gay men. The third gallery features works from the “New Democratic Pictures” and the
“Fundamental Pictures” series that Gilbert & George created in response to the AIDS crisis, positioning their
own bodies centre stage again to emphasize freedom of creation.
The impact that the three exhibitions we saw in Brighton Museum & Art Gallery visit preceded a surprise on
our return to London - an LGTBQ flag at the main entrance of the British Museum. I immediately made a
search on the subject and became proud once more because of being at the British Museum because the BM
proudly hosted the rainbow flag, for all visitors to see, indeed for the whole world to see.
A symbol of pride: raising the rainbow flag at The British Museum (10 July 2018).
The day trip on 14 July 2018 to Sutton Hoo, Woodbridge, Suffolk is another experience that I cannot forget. I
should say that before ITP 2018 I could not even imagine coming to Sutton Hoo and seeing this important
Anglo-Saxon burial and archaeological site settlement.
I have been lecturing at different faculties and departments of the three big universities in Ankara (Ankara
University, Gazi University and Hacettepe University) since 1996 about the history of world art. I have
trained the art historians, conservators, curators and artists of the future. When I start to teach Sutton
Hoo/Anglo-Saxon times, the first aspect I explain and highlight is that it is the most important find and
archaeological site in the UK. The Sutton Hoo we visited not only presented the treasures of the region but
also provided a very valuable and incredible experience in regard to seeing and knowing the first findings of
the UK archaeology, which are exhibited at the British Museum Room 41 gallery.
The gallery tour on 11 July 2018 in the Sutton Hoo Gallery of the British Museum with Sue Brunning
(Curator: Early Medieval European Collections, Britain Europe and Prehistory) and her account of the
7
exhibition techniques together with the chronology of the Anglo-Saxon heritage in England since the first
findings in 1895 was ideal preparation for the trip. We used a microphone system in this exhibition
presentation in order to hear Sue’s voice and to experience what she explained with the objects in the gallery.
Through technology in a modern museum we followed Sue’s voice and conversation together with the
objects.
Rema (Rema Zeynalova, ITP 2018 from Azerbaijan) is wondering who is the
warrior underneath the mask. The truth is that when you wear that helmet,
wear the felt vest and take the sword in your hand you come to have the spirit
of an Anglo-Saxon warrior. I am the person in the photo who experiences the
Anglo-Saxon spirit. Exploring the museum, experiencing the exhibition and
the training spaces and afterwards strolling in the house where the
archaeological excavation had started (Edwardian Tranmer House)
transformed Sutton Hoo into an unforgettable memory in my life (14 July
2018).
On the department days, the valuable knowledge of Ian Jenkins
(Curator, Greece and Roman), particularly his specialization in the
Antique Period, widened our horizons. His presentation about the
formation of the collection during the development of the British
Museum and, what is the most important to me, about Johann Joachim
Winckelmann (his excavations, book, contributions to the history of art
and his role in the formation of the collection at the museum) and the
museum tour among the Enlightenment Gallery founded by the King
George II, the manuscripts and Greek vases were important. I should state that most museums are memories
of a city but Ian Jenkins taught us that the British Museum was not only the city’s but the world’s various
memories.
8
Tour of blockbuster exhibition “Rodin and the art of ancient Greece” with Ian Jenkins (Curator, Greece and Rome)
in Sainsbury Exhibition Wing (16 July 2018).
Additionally, during the trip we made with Ross Thomas (Curator, Greece and Roman) on 12 July 2018 to the
William Morris Gallery. The knowledge we gained about both temporary exhibitions and the works and life
of William Morris was very important.
With Ross Thomas (Curator, Greece and Rome) and programme fellows: Mustafa Okan Cinemre (ITP 2018 from
Turkey), Amalia Kakissis (ITP 2018, from Greece), Ivan Radman – Livaja (ITP 2018 from Croatia) and me.
Department time, Greece and Rome - Day trip to Portsmouth historic dockyard with Ross Thomas, comparison and
contrasting of the presentation and display of three warships: Mary Rose (1545), HMS Victory (1759) and HMS
Warrior (1860). (07 August 2018).
The most important surprise was the attention paid by each museum to the facilities it offers to children and
young people, the works carried out with families, special days, projects, not only in the spaces of the
museums but also in the surrounding public spaces and education institutes. This is a novelty for me because
by the 2000s, when private museology started to spread, special education spaces started to be organized and
built for children and young people but for the state museums it was after 2010 that these kind of audiences
started to be considered and units and spaces were opened. Yet, when I compare all these initiatives
throughout my training in the UK, I can say that we are only at the bottom of the ladder.
9
At this stage, I would like to share my thoughts that the ITP has played an effective role which made me see
that museums are important public spaces composed of children, young people and families. I understood the
significance of developing an approach which provides services to children, young people and their families.
Of dealing with people from every nation, belief and tradition within the framework of democratic and equal
rights and freedoms, inviting them to the museum and opening its doors and this applies to my museum too.
So I am working to submit a project and ask for cooperation from Hacettepe University and the Department
of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design to create spaces at the Hacettepe Art Museum and its
garden which children and young people can benefit from with their families.
From the 23 July - 01 August my time in Manchester (partner museums and galleries) showed me that when I
return home I could transfer all these experiences to my museum and carry out new practices. During the
training we had at the Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester Museum and The Whitworth Gallery we were a
small group: Andrea Terrón (Guatemala, ITP 2017 and Senior Fellow 2018), Huyam Khalid Mohammed
Madani (ITP 2018 from Sudan), me (Dilek Karaaziz Şener, ITP 2018 from Turkey) and Pankaj Protim
Bordoloi (ITP 2018 from India). Throughout the training that we had in three different museums when we
stayed in Manchester, we acquired valuable information about the subjects of temporary and permanent
exhibitions, museum education, outsider art collections, museum conservation units, storage, museum
administration, collection development and lending systems, museum visitor management and programmes
and artist residencies from curators and museum specialists Ronan Brindley (Head of education, Manchester
Art Gallery), Campbell Price (Curator of Egypt and Sudan, Manchester Museum) and Uthra Rajgopal
(Assistant Curator, Textiles and Wallpaper, Whitworth Gallery).
With Holly Grange for “Outsider Art Collection” presentation in The Whitworth Gallery. Me (Dilek Karaaziz Şener,
ITP 2018 from Turkey), Andrea Terrón (Guatemala, ITP 2017 -Senior Fellow 2018), Huyam Khalid Mohammed
Madani (ITP 2018 from Sudan), and Pankaj Protim Bordoloi (ITP 2018 from India) with Holly Grange. (25 July
2018).
The families, students and youngsters coming to the museum, were part of learning programmes for the
visitors at the Manchester Museum and were particularly interesting for me in the sense that Hacettepe Art
Museum is also a university museum.
10
First day at Manchester Gallery “Goodbye Manchester! I love this city and I will be back again!
Shall you wait for me, please?”
In the period that we had in Manchester, we spent all the time apart from the working and education hours, in
getting to know the city, exploring other museums and libraries and making discussions and evaluations among us
about the exhibitions. We visited several museums and I came back to Turkey with valuable books, exhibition
booklets and thousands of reference photographs.
11
Museum Project Day, Foundling Museum in London. Special exhibition, “First Amongst Equals”. We studied
everywhere, because we were in the future of museums. Pankaj, Huyam and I worked on the presentation about the
special exhibition “First Amongst Equals”.
“Object in Focus” Project
I was very happy to be working on the “Object in Focus” project and having Mariana Sainz Pacheco (ITP
2018 from Mexico) as my partner. Mariana works on modern Mexican art thus, in our first “Object in Focus”
meeting, we preferred to get to know each other by talking and exchanging information about modern art in
our countries. We soon agreed on the intention to give the object that we chose for the project a contemporary
art viewpoint.
Our object was a “Head of a Goddess”, EA63585. We started by discussing how we can work on an object
which unknown to us. The presentation on creating exhibitions from Miriam Lloyd-Evan (Independent
Curator) was very helpful in determining the method which we followed for preparing for the exhibition and
accessing the research resources in a quick way (because our time was limited and every passing hour or day
was precious).
We choose the title “Ceremonial Journey: How a tradition came from Egypt to Sudan” and with the support
of Manuela Lehmann and Louise Ellis – Barrett, Mariana and I were ready on time.
With Mariana Sainz Pacheco (ITP 2018 from Mexico). Our working hours for the “Object in Focus” project were on
Fridays. In these times, we conducted library studies about the object which we chose to exhibit, worked on the
display of the object, the auxiliary materials (label, panel, poster) which we would use during the exhibition.
12
Gökhan Okur, with whom I had worked for my Dr. Fazıl Küçük Museum in 2016 in Cyprus, Nicosia, also
helped us with display design material. We crossed continents and seas by e-mail and every type of
communication network. For the trip of the object from Egypt to Sudan, Emre Okçuer, an artist from Ankara
with whom I had worked when I curated the exhibitions “How a War Should be Remembered?” and “Void”
produced a short video art. Mariana prepared a short movie about the reflections of the ritual of procession
from history to the present day. Everything was ready and we welcomed the Object in Focus day with
excitement.
With Mariana, while we were preparing our desk and exhibition space. (09 August 2018)
Poster for “Ceremonial Journey: How a
tradition came from Egypt to Sudan”,
Object in Focus Project.
Graphic design: Gökhan Okur.
13
With Hartwig Fischer (Director, British Museum) who honoured us with his valuable opinions, appreciation and
knowledge.
The “Object in Focus” project has not ended for me as I have been researching the presence of the ritual of
processions/street festivals in Turkey. Finally, my research reached a point I desired. Thanks to Emre
Okuçuer who supported the “Object in Focus” project with his video work, I discovered the presence of the
ritual in Turkey which is called “Helesa” which happens in Sinop city every year in Ramadan. I want to
develop my research and prepare a project with Mariana for the Sinopale Biennial which is held in every two
years. I am in contact with the V.P. of the European Cultural Association and the Art Director of Sinopale
Prof. T. Melih Görgün through the agency of Emre Okçuer.
I remember the times when I visited the website of the British Museum, the Museum of world which I dreamt
of and always wanted to work with, and the day I decided to be an ITPer and it fills me with tears. My dream
was difficult but not impossible and I understood this by becoming an ITP 2018 participant. I am once again
grateful to life and to all the things it offers, for realizing my dream and for benefitting the young artists,
curators and museum specialists with whom I will share and contribute.
14
An author says, “when a big tree appears before you, hug it and be grateful for all the surprises in your life...” From
our Hampstead Heath visit (04 August 2018).
Future, memory and museology is being shaped by the British Museum’s International
Training Programme.
ITP is a great gift from you to us, the curators of the future, and I am grateful to you for all the experience,
knowledge and work that this gift has given.
With Claire Messenger (International Training Programme, Manager, British Museum), Rebecca Horton
(International Training Programme, Coordinator, British Museum), Jessica Juckes (International Training
Programme, Assistant, British Museum), Andrea Terrón (Guatemala, ITP 2017 -Senior Fellow 2018), Mariana Sainz
15
Pacheco (ITP 2018 from Mexico), Cherry Thin (ITP 2018 from Myanmar), Pankaj Protim Bordoloi (ITP 2018 from
India).
With Manuela Lehmann (Project Curator, Amara West Project, Ancient Egypt and Sudan), Mariana Sainz Pacheco
(ITP 2018 from Mexico) and Louise Ellis-Barrett (Ann el-Mokadem Librarian, Ancient Egypt and Sudan)
With ITP 2018, I have became closer to the projects which I plan for the future. Claire Messenger
(International Training Programme, Manager, British Museum), Rebecca Horton (International Training
Programme, Coordinator, British Museum), Jessica Juckes (International Training Programme, Assistant,
British Museum), Andrea Terrón (Guatemala, ITP 2017 and Senior Fellow 2018) gave me this chance and
trusted in me and supported me. At this juncture, I would like to write and convey my deepest gratitude to
these four women. Our life always needs experiences and special people who will make you have these
experiences.
My BM ITP 2018 experience, which has made a great contribution to my profession, as my first overseas
experience. In this process the ITP team (Claire, Becca, Jess, Andrea) were always with me. Moreover, I
would like to express and write my deepest gratitude to Frances Carey (chair of the Marie Louise von
Motesiczky Charitable Trust) who supported me in re-planning my future, gaining the necessary knowledge
and experience to realise my projects and having self-confidence as a curator.
Thank you British Museum! I am grateful to you for making my dream come true and for enabling me to take
a step in the name of transferring world heritage with the knowledge and experience I gained from ITP.
16
Thank you to the Marie Louise von Motesiczky Charitable Trust. Thanks to you I have made a new beginning
for my future.
And thank you ITPers 2018. You are gorgeous friends.
Thanks to you, I can speak and write English much better .
Thank you UK!
top related