curators v. educators

Something that becomes more and more apparent as I work at museums is the subtle, underlying tension between curators and educators. I'm not sure if I'm reading the situation wrong, but it seems to me like a rift exists. I find this phenomenon awfully strange, particularly since the overarching goals between curators and educators should be the same: exposing the public to art with some sort of intent to teach. Curators and educators should work in tandem -– each exploiting the talents and strengths of the other. However, this rarely seems to actually happen. I think this has something to do with the type of people who enter the curatorial and educational fields.

The unofficial job description for a curator probably says something like: "Calling individuals with a unique vision, historical footing, and impressive educational pedigree. Must be opinionated and self-assured. Job requirements include schmoozing with superstar liter-arties, high-profile events, and predicting the edgiest and most profitable work. Occasional paperwork. You have a special vision -- now it's time to show the world!"

The unofficial job description for education goes as follows: "Looking for hard-working and dedicated staff of selfless individuals who want to make the world a better place. Perfect position for idealists, art teachers, and community organizers. Make art accessible and relevant to the general population. Basic knowledge of art history preferred. Must be able to relate to people and speak to large groups in public."

For me, personally, I fall somewhere in between and this is probably why I'm acutely sensitive to the tension between curators and educators. One colleague said that curators think educators are "dumbing down" the art works. Educators simply try to explain in pedestrian words the giant, magnificent vision that the curator has put together. While this is a bit hyperbolic and certainly not true of most of the curators that I have worked with, it may ring true in certain situations and in certain institutions. My problem is that I see both sides of the coin and it could end up being either heads or tails for me.

Truth is, I want to make art accessible to the general public AND I want to hang stuff on the walls. I see myself working with kids AND I see myself seeking out new artists at art-world events. I'd love to be a free-lance museum educator BUT I'm not ready to give up thinking on an abstract level. If it were up to me, I'd create a position in which I could be both the educator and the curator -- lead tours, activities, and in-depth discussions of the art I carefully selected according to my own, unique vision. Until that happens, I'll have to continue pulling together my own program tailored to my needs for teaching, learning, and (most importantly) growing.