it's been a while

I haven't written on my blog for a while for good reason -- I've been busy working! Working in a museum environment again (even as "just" an intern) has been a much needed break from the often solitary confinement of academia. There were days during the semester when I didn't emerge from my apartment until 5PM. You get caught up in your own world of thoughts, ideas, and arguments (as one of the Whitney education staffers told me today -- she just finished her dissertation a few days ago, so she knows what she's talking about).

So what is it about the museum world that I keep going back to? Am I being pragmatic? Uncreative? Falling back into old habits or leaping forward into the unknown. Working this summer at the Whitney, I can say a little of both. On the jumping forward side, I would say that I have definitely learned how to take more initiative, particularly when it comes to the type of work that I want to do. Of course, I had the computer data base project (which actually I enjoy), but I also did some real writing and research. On top of that, I made a documentary about museum security guards and also co-taught two school group tours. For the first time, I felt like I could take the reigns of my internship and I'm not sure if I should wholly attribute that to my newfound sense of scholarly and professional aptitude or the openness of my supervisor. Probably a little of both. Living in New York was also a leap in the right direction. So much of the contemporary art world that I have learned about finds deep roots in New York. I felt chills walking down Greene Street, knowing that Gordon Matta-Clark himself had graced these same blocks.

Then there is the falling backward. Hanging out with undergrads is fabulous -- especially those in the education and library depts. They're fun, entertaining, sweet, and hilarious! I really couldn't have asked for a better group. And of course my "falling back" is not attributed to them. In terms of falling back, I mean reverting to my old gossipy ways, watching too much TV, and dancing till 3AM. Not all of this is bad, except when you get caught up in the battle between the education and curatorial interns, judging people based on nothing more than their clothes, and hanging out in your informal click.

Overall, I can say that I really tried to make the most out of my time here at the Whitney. It's an amazing institution and one that I hope to keep in touch with in the future. .

museum security guards as informal educators

In collaboration with the Youth Insights program at the Whitney and my fellow graduate intern, Melanie, I have begun filming the documentary for the website. I am beyond excited about the results - we've got some really great stuff on tape. So far, we have interviewed two museum security guards with fascinating stories. We have five section that we are asking them about: personal history/background, day-to-day operations, interactions (with visitors, museum depts, other guards), comparison to other museums, and expertise in art and art history. So far, we've interviewed one man who has been a security guard at the Whitney for 28 years and is going to give us his own personal tour of the collection tomorrow at 4:30PM. He's originally from Trinidad and if he could have any position in the museum, he'd be a docent. We've interviewed another guy who's been here for 19 years and LOVES the collection -- I mean, he's the most passionate man I've met at the museum. He's been mistaken for Adam Weinberg (the director of the museum) and if he could work in the museum in another position, he'd be in visitor services. He took some paintings and art history courses, but says that he learned the most about art from working here every day. He calls the Whitney his second home.

Basically, what I've realized so far is that (1) these guys are very passionate about the museum and (2) they act as informal educators in the museum. They love sharing their opinion with the visitors (while doing their job of protecting the art, of course). They have access to an institutional history that few of the curators or administrators may have. They are undervalued and their wealth of information is rarely accessed.

I have learned so much so far and been totally inspired. I have also realized that our intern "Thursday Seminars" (where we meet with different people who work in the museum) neglect these security guards -- we don't even talk to head of security! I've also realized that the gender ratio is totally opposite of the employees in the museum: 90% men, 10% women.

We continue filming tomorrow and I can't wait to learn more.

narrative

Saturday night at the American Ballet Theater's performance of Giselle, I had this strange realization. Sitting patiently in Lincoln Center for the performance to begin, I was reading the description of the ballet when it donned on me -- I know EXACTLY what is going to happen! For some reason it had not occurred to me previously that the handouts they give you in ballets and operas disclose the entire story, in effect removing any sense of surprise or shock from the narrative. The point, I suppose, is so that you can understand the gestures and some of the actions without taking away too much attention from the amazing acrobatic feats of the graceful dancers. At times, the story stops completely and you are watching a series of impossible leaps, twirls, and lifts. It's all really breath-taking.

But then I got to wonder about how this full-disclosure of all narrative elements differs from films and other forms of visual art. I guess this type of non-sensical interruption happens in musicals, where the narrative stops and suddenly a full-on dance number is performed. But even then, the song might either advance the narrative or comment on the situation at hand. Other films certainly reject this idea of telling the story and in fact rely on the excitement of the unknown.

Now I'm trying to think about painting and sculpture -- arts that aren't traditionally "durational," even though scholars love to theorize about the temporal aspects of painting and sculpture. Was it Clement Greenberg who juxtaposed theater and visual arts? I'm not sure -- someone important certainly faulted Minimalism for becoming nothing but a stage prop. The narrative of a painting or sculpture is something different entirely. I mean, does a figurative scene necessarily contain a narrative? Does a still-life? How about an Abstract Expressionist canvas? If so, how do we experience the narrative? Do we know it in advance (perhaps from the wall tag or text in a book)? Do we experience it simultaneously to apprehending the image? I guess I'm mostly thinking about the space between text, image, time, and place, and how we experience something differently if the narrative expectation is removed or upended.

full battle rattle!

I have been awaiting the arrival of Full Battle Rattle ever since I saw the preview at Film Forum. (Side note: Film Forum has provided an essential service for me in New York -- great movies. Yeah, I mean, you could go to IFC, but for me, FF is the best place to watch independent films in New York. The location right near the #1 Train Wooster St. stop and New York Sports Club doesn't hurt either).

I have to admit that I don't have the best taste in narrative films. I usually go for romantic comedies or dramas. But I do pride myself in being able to assess documentary films quite well, both from my experience in making them and from evaluating them for film festivals. You have to see this movie for yourself (if you happen to be in New York, San Francisco, or Seattle), but basically it's about two documentary filmmakers who travel to the Mojave desert in California where mock-Iraqi town have been created. Soldiers who are about to be sent to Iraq first have to endure two weeks of this simulated environment. There are two basic sides to this place: (1) the soldiers' base and (2) the Iraqi town populated by Iraqis (played by Iraqi immigrants and Iraqi-Americans) and insurgents (played by experienced military soldiers). Each of the filmmakers inhabits one of the two sides and films the experience of one infantry.

After a few days, the soldiers begin to forget that they are living in a simulated environment and start to experience the effects of "real" war. The Iraqi actors are each given a role (shop owner, sheriff, mayor, etc), and they must play their role as accurately as possible. After the mayor's son is brutally shot, a civil war breaks out and chaos ensues. The insurgents get the upper-hand and the soldiers fail in their role as peacemakers in this faux-invasion of a mock Iraq.

The brilliance of this film is the blurring of the lines between what real and make-believe. Normally, the filmmakers receive credit for achieving this tension. However, I would argue that they simply chose a fascinating subject and captured the situation as it unraveled. The success of the film has less to do with brilliant film making and editing, and more to do with recognizing the capacity for this simulated environment to provide a well-rounded account of what might be happening in Iraq. More succinctly, this film about a fake Iraqi town provides insight to what a real Iraqi town might be like -- much more accurately and candidly than any other news media. Confronting this simulation was challenging -- the scripted situations often created tense relations between the Iraqis and the soldiers. But the simulation cannot convey the actual war, the living towns, the unscripted confrontations.

This film forces you to recognize your own illusions about the war and compels you to confront the realities of both soldiers and Iraqi citizens in an uneasy way that actual news reports have failed to do.

alert!

The Whitney is watching! I have just been informed by an anonymous intern that the communication intern has been receiving google alerts every time I mention the Whitney Museum!!! Isn't that crazy!?!? I mean, it doesn't really bother me that much b/c, after all, I love working here and can't get enough of my dept, colleagues, database entry, etc. It's not like I'm saying anything bad or negative. I just feel the slight tinge of hesitation that accompanies any big brother-type situation.

free like a freelancer

The internship at the Whitney Museum has definitely led to one major decision in my life: I want to be a freelance museum educator. Basically, I would be hired by museums to lead school group tours (K-12) through the museum. I would develop my own lesson plans with the collection and in collaboration with teachers at each school. In short, I would achieve my goal of making art relevant and accessible to students in front of actual art work. Divine!

So, up goes a posting for freelance museum educators. At the Whitney. Amazing! The problem is that I have to return to USC in the fall to my MA/PhD program. Then I toss around and around whether I should stay in New York. I mean, how fabulous! How wonderful! Oh, except that I would be further delaying higher education (stipend, paid tuition) for a position that I could get in LA with the right amount of determination. Should I forgo this opportunity? I always talk like I already have the job....

Which I don't. Survey says I should return to LA like the responsible grad student that I am -- only one year away from my master's degree. I have a lot to look forward to at home: boyfriend, cat, TA'ing ancient Asian art, serving as the chair of the student life committee. Oh -- and awesome courses in the fall. But one thing is for sure. I'll be calling MOCA, LACMA, the Getty, and other arts institutions in the hopes of becoming America's Next Top Freelance Museum Educator.

the secret life of museum security guards

Museum Guard, mixed media, 1975. “Collection of the Estate of Duane Hanson” Art © Estate of Duane Hanson/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY.

Forget the curators. They get all the attention and media hype. The museum director is too intimidating and hard to reach. Conservators are really interesting and so are museum educators, but I sort of already know what they do. With all of the fascinating people to interview in the museum, with all their expertise and art-world status, my choice of making a documentary about museum security guards may seem strange. However, I think these people may have the most interesting insight into the museum world. Of course, I haven't done any interviews or started filming yet, but just from my casual interactions with the guards at the Whitney so far, I can honestly say that they form a group of compelling characters.

First of all, the Whitney museum guards are the most friendly, approachable, and endearing guards I have ever met. If you enter the museum with your intern badge around your neck, they will pretty much always engage you in conversation about the art, what you're doing, and what you think. When I tell them "hey, I'm new here. Just a lowly intern," they give me a little pep talk about how it only takes one breakthrough to embark on the road to success. I have met some really optimistic people watching over the art in the galleries and I want to know what they think about the art and the institution.

Apparently, there was a meeting between the security guards and the museum administration in which the museum guards requested more art education for themselves. They were tired of not knowing the answers to questions other than "where is the bathroom?" and "how do I get out of here?" I am not sure what the outcome of that meeting was, but I hope that the administration will recognize the importance of educating everyone that works in the museum, not just those that visit.

So, once I get my camera and Youth Insight participants, I am ready to go! Just need to set up some meetings with security guards and get the camera rolling. The film will be posted on the Whitney website or youtube and hopefully on this blog too (pending approval from Whitney's Rights and Reproductions department). Let me know if you have any suggestions or probing questions to pose.