During the orientation day my first year of graduate school, I listened eagerly as each Museology instructor explained the exciting courses and opportunities our program had to offer. What stood out most was when Wilson O’Donnell explained the Emerging Curator Initiative (ECI), where Museology students develop exhibit concepts, and one student is selected to curate a show at the Kirkland Arts Center. As I read the description for ECI, I thought about how great it would be to have an opportunity to curate and design my first exhibit, which is why I applied to the program.
Excited for Winter quarter to begin, I brainstormed potential exhibit ideas I thought were interesting and relevant. I thought about social media and growing technology fads, and I landed on a topic I thought would be fun to discuss through art. Throughout the ECI course, Wilson O’Donnell and former co-instructor Colleen Lenahan encouraged me to dig a little deeper and unpack such a broad topic. Originally, I struggled with connecting the artwork with my words, but with the feedback, questions, and advice I received from the instructors, I found clarity. Shortly after my proposal was submitted, I received the exciting news that I was selected as the next Emerging Curator and had the opportunity to see my exhibit come to fruition.
During the preparation phase, I experienced many challenges, the main one being finding artwork that fit my concept. I had no knowledge of contemporary art, so I relied on research to assist me. As I continued the process, my appreciation for contemporary art grew. I found myself visiting local art galleries in hopes to find work to include in my show, and also attended art talks and other gallery events – just for fun!
I am so grateful to have had this opportunity. Being able to work in a gallery and to curate an art exhibit gave me a glimpse into what it would be like to pursue a career in this field. While I did face some challenges, the good certainly outweighed the bad. The best part about this program is how the instructors truly believe in “learning by doing.” With the availability of numerous Directed Fieldwork courses, exhibition design class, and collections labs, students can truly immerse themselves in what interests them and are equipped with skills to prepare them for the Museum world.
– Kayla Harriel, Museology Class of 2017
(Dis)Connected will be on display from March 11 through April 29, 2017 at the Kirkland Arts Center.