Werking it

In February this year I managed to get a job and cement myself as a transatlantic museum professional. However, so far all I've managed to do is tell you in Facebook updates that I have gained a new job, but never showed you what. As I approach the week where I say farewell to one job and usher in a new, it felt like the perfect time to do some explaining, along with some adorable photos.

Museum of the Moving Image
This was the job that started it all and was comfortable especially because of its similarity to the BME. Where one was about the music industry, the other is about the movie industry, one has a workshop called Behind the Scenes the other an exhibition called Behind the Screens. It's a fantastic collection that looks at the history of the industry and explores the different jobs that make it up. Sessions and workshops include screenings of classics by the likes of Charlie Chaplin with discussions and movie making 101. It was a great place to get started although it is definitely time to move on. What I'll miss most is gossiping with colleagues in the morning.

Brooklyn Museum 
My next stop is the Brooklyn Museum where I will be the instructor for a program called Meet the Museum for children aged 2-4. This is quite a change for me as it includes art teaching which I've never really done before. I don't have an Art History background so this is a further challenge. However I must be doing something right as the lesson plan I presented at my interview is the first lesson I delivered this week! Below is my colleague Kristin teaching the morning session at the painting I selected by Alma W. Thomas titled Wind, Sunshine and Flowers. We explored colours with a matching game and I taught the children the 'I can sing a rainbow song' (definite learning curve as this song doesn't exist out here). Later we made prints using bubble wrap to mimic the style employed by Thomas. This is more or less the format of all the lessons which I'll have to design on a monthly basis.

New York Historical Society
This job I got back in June, here I run their Little New-Yorkers program for children aged 3-5. The aim is teaching little ones about New York through different themes. We read storybooks that have a link to NYC and then make a craft project based on the overall theme that the book falls into (i.e. Halloween, Spring) or that links in directly to the book. Check out my 3 favourite examples below. This job really keeps me on my toes as I have to create a program on a weekly basis. The best part about this is that there was wiggle room for improvement which will allow me to leave my mark. My plan is to move these sessions into the galleries and add in more art based activities that explore different art processes, all to the delight of my boss. First session will be in November where I'm taking on the meteoric task of explaining Cubism to toddlers...

New York's smallest Museum

Yesterday we headed to TriBeCa to do another area study (which is coming up). Part of the lovely thing about exploring one area at a time, is that it also highlights the museums that one might not think of. In this case it was the Museum. I have been wanting to see this tiny museum ever since someone I follow on Instagram posted a picture of it. Why have I not visited this place! So off we went. Hipster Dufus was not impressed when we turned into an ally that blocked out the sun and had rubbish everywhere. It looked like we had just walked into a scene from a bad 80s movie. "Um where have you taken me?" he asked, "don't worry, it's just down here". Of course this was really hard to tell from just the look of the ally as there's no signage, no crisp gleaming new architecture, and no queue of tourist waiting to get in. No this institution has been built into an abandoned freight elevator.

This is a cultural institution with a difference. Named simply Museum, it aims to show the beauty and absurdity of life through the simplest of forms. With the objects that make up our everyday lives, that we don't give a second thought to and that we rely on almost everyday. They can tell us about who we are through a alternate narrative. The curators are film makers who own the production company Red Bucket Films (here again the target is to capture the everyday, the mundane or the forgotten moments in life). They collect the objects themselves or have people who donate them, you can also submit an object if you want. A lot of the objects were donated by artists which I suppose is what gives this museum its gravitas. These are objects from everyday life, some are found on the streets and others they were not legally allowed to tell us how they obtained them (such as the current display of the actual shoe that was thrown at George W. Bush.

I of course was immediately drawn to the religious collection. Yup it even had on of those, a series of Chinese funerary object made of paper. The interpretation is fantastic for something so small. The guide explained that each shelf was like a gallery in a museum. We could find out more about the objects from the information cards or we could turn our phones into audio guides by calling a free number and key-ing in the object number. It was fantastic. It even boasted a museum "cafe" with an espresso machine a collection of baked goodies that were donated by baker friends or supporters of the museum. And even a gift shop, complete with postcards and museum badges. This is my favourite place in the city.

Ooh on and on

Last night we headed over to Brooklyn to BAM for a concert with a difference. This organization is home to a vast program which includes films, dance performances, theatre and even opera. Last night they hosted a collaboration between the Brooklyn Philharmonic and their artist in residence Erykah Badu. The concert was a reworking of Badu's 2008 album New Amerykah Part One:4th World War.

I've never seen any live footage of Erykah Badu performing before. My full knowledge of her vocal range comes from lengendary songs such at 'On and on' and 'Honey'. Sweet, soft and warm. When she got down to it I was surprised. Her range is incredible, and she has quite the powerful set of lungs on her. The mixture of the R'n'B, Hip-Hop and Funk of her album with the soft strings of a full orchestra was totally hot. As was she! Wearing her galaxy print leggins, loose flowing blouse and eccentric black (Abe Lincoln style) top hat. Complete with behavior to match, at one point Hipster Dufus commented on not being aware that we'd brought tickets to see Grace Jones! It was a really great introduction into this amazing Brooklyn venue.

Heaven

It has been a very busy weekend, with lot's to talk about. I'll start with yet another gushing review of the British Music Experience. On Friday they yet again showcased their amazing public programme hosting a masterclass with Emeli Sandé. The event consisted of the usual desirable attributes delivered so often by the museum. An intimate venue with a capacity of only ninety.  An interview with the artist including a Q&A section at the end for the public. Most importantly some live music. 

Hearing an artist in such a small venue can really showcase their talent. In this case she proved to be very talented indeed, with a pitch perfect voice and highly skilled on the piano. She was such a lovely person too, well spoken, with lot's to say. Well done BME.

The Progress of Civilisation

As a museum professional/geek I obviously have my favourites in London. And while most of the time I can name those really obscure and wonderful collections that no-one has heard of and everyone is interested in, without fail my heart always comes back to the British Museum. This is a wonderful museum, just the architecture itself is interesting enough let alone the treasures that it holds inside. The best thing about this museum is that no matter how many times you've been and how many things you've seen, there's always more yet to discover. Kind of like London really.

For me this happens often as I find myself back in the Parthenon galleries every visit. These beautiful marble pieces are exquisite. I love looking at them and we're so lucky to have them here. Note that I haven't called them the Elgin Marbles. Their residence here in the UK is much contested with even the Greek's building the Acropolis Museum equipped with their own Parthenon Gallery (complete with digital versions of the pieces here) to counteract the age-old argument that they were unable to care for the pieces.

Now I'm not completely sure that they got here in the most legitimate way possible (sorry BM...) however I also don't believe that they should go back to Greece (sorry Acropolis...). But let's face it, if they went back it would be the start of a worldwide scramble to gain back pieces in foreign collections. All countries have worldwide collections, the British Museum just happens to have one of the best, hence it garners so much attention. But rather than get embroiled in the politics of right and wrong one should remember the main point which is this: the collection is one of the best in the world, and it's here on our doorstep. If you haven't yet, go and have a look, it's truly amazing.

A Sound Choice in Fashion

I have already proclaimed my love of museums and my current delight is the British Music Experience. Yesterday they proved how amazing their public events are in both quality and educational value with the launch of the new student series, Sound Choice. Their very clued up/well connected public programmer Rebecca Ellis managed to get big names in the fashion world - including Wayne Hemingway and stylist Miss Jacqueline White - to talk to aspiring fashionistas. It didn't stop there, with a panel consisting of fashion creative Siobhan Lyons, fashion journalist Adam Welch, MTV music director Virginia Monaghan and creative producer Pigalle Tavakkoli.

This event proved two things. First, how amazing this museum is (if I haven't already said it enough). Second, how amazing museums are in general. This venue is working beyond the constraints of the stuffy institution with dead, irrelevant objects. It's bringing its collection to life by looking at a contemporary subject and using the collection as a platform to inform where inspiration comes from. For the BME it's important to explain the ideal behind the punk aesthetic, and what was happening in the UK at the time to influence it. The influence of culture in art is everywhere at the moment. It's no secret that these last two seasons in particular have taken inspiration from the amazing art around the world with collections like Rodarte, Jil Sander and Donna Karen to name a few... and where is all this art and culture held? Where is it stored? Why, museums and galleries of course.