{"title":"Mapping the Developments of Curatorial Activism & Practice in the Indian Context","authors":"Shubhani Sharma","doi":"10.1111/cura.12671","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cura.12671","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>As theorized by Reilly, curatorial activism emerged from the Global North within curatorial and museological discourse as a framework to address the exclusion of marginalized artists from the art historical canon. This paper contributes to the ongoing discourse on curatorial activism, specifically within the Indian context, by critically examining its application in Indian art institutions. Drawing from critical concepts in New Museology and Reilly's curatorial activism, this study analyzes key exhibitions curated at two prominent art centres—New Delhi and Mumbai—exploring how curators engage with activist art practices and institutional critique. By examining the curatorial strategies employed—specifically, revisionism, area studies, and relational studies—within these exhibitions, the paper investigates how issues of caste, regional identity, and marginalization are addressed, particularly within India's unique sociopolitical context. Through this empirical lens, the study evaluates how curatorial activism operates within Indian art institutions and its implications for reshaping dominant narratives in contemporary art discourse.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":10791,"journal":{"name":"Curator: The Museum Journal","volume":"68 3","pages":"560-568"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144646888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Re-Imagining the Collection Through Medical Imaging: Collaboration Between Radiology and the Museum","authors":"Julia K. McHugh, Fides R. Schwartz","doi":"10.1111/cura.12670","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cura.12670","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Since the 1950s, radiography has been a tool used in the scientific analysis of artworks of diverse media. For ceramics, this non-destructive process allows interior views of vessels, giving insight into material composition, artistic practice, and original use. Recent advances in CT imaging can now reveal different materials within the scan range, illuminating, for example, metal components of the clay or within the decorative slip. This case study discusses the medical imaging of eight ceramic vessels dating from circa 300–1500 CE from Central and South America from the perspective of the radiologists and curatorial team who led the collaboration at Duke University. The resulting CT scans shed light on ancient artistic practice, in addition to the use of these objects in ritual and musical performance. This article provides an overview of those findings while providing recommendations for best practices in creating partnerships between museums and medical imaging departments.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":10791,"journal":{"name":"Curator: The Museum Journal","volume":"68 3","pages":"553-559"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144647862","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Talking to Strangers About Science: Youth Facilitators and Family Learning at the Natural History Museum","authors":"Karen Knutson, Kevin Crowley, Preeti Gupta, Albeliza Perez, Nickcoles Martinez, Rachel Chaffee","doi":"10.1111/cura.12669","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cura.12669","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Dioramas are an iconic part of natural history museums that present complex scientific content in a naturalistic scenic setting. Museums have struggled with how best to help visitors view and engage in learning at these exhibits. Recognizing the importance of human facilitation around these exhibits, we conducted a study to explore conversational interactions between families and facilitators designed to support learning. This study included 27 family interactions (adults plus children aged 5–16) with seven college-aged facilitators at five different exhibit areas in the museum. Results highlight the richness and challenges of developing these interactions, including the ways that facilitators engaged families in talking about topics exhibited, asking questions, and the role of trust and family support in creating productive family conversations.</p>","PeriodicalId":10791,"journal":{"name":"Curator: The Museum Journal","volume":"68 3","pages":"542-552"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/cura.12669","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144647838","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
James L. Flexner, Sarah L. Evans, Albert Faahei Hugues
{"title":"Repatriation and Ethnographic Archives: Katherine Routledge's Mangareva Field Notes in the Royal Geographic Society Collections","authors":"James L. Flexner, Sarah L. Evans, Albert Faahei Hugues","doi":"10.1111/cura.12668","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cura.12668","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Just over 100 years after Katherine Routledge's 1921–1922 expedition to the Mangareva Islands, digitized copies of a portion of her field notes from the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) in London were returned to the source community in French Polynesia. Historical ethnographic fieldnotes represent an underutilized primary source of cultural knowledge in repatriation activities as part of a broader push by cultural institutions to decolonize. Broadening access to this kind of information raises unresolved issues about how best to manage archival documents among Oceanic communities living in a digital world. Ongoing questions include the legitimacy of digital return of documents or objects as opposed to physical originals; and how much use or value source communities receive from such returns. We advocate for addressing these on a case-by-case basis, in conversation with community collaborators, and explain our reasoning and approaches in this Mangarevan example.</p>","PeriodicalId":10791,"journal":{"name":"Curator: The Museum Journal","volume":"68 3","pages":"534-541"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/cura.12668","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144647557","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Communicating Through Sound in Museums: A Genre-Based Framework","authors":"Alcina Cortez","doi":"10.1111/cura.12667","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cura.12667","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Sound, often perceived as intangible, is now increasingly recognized as a tangible entity, sparking significant research interest. Museum practitioners and curators are particularly drawn to sound's interactional prospects, its expressive capabilities, and its ability to convey meaning, whether in representational, emotional, aesthetic/hedonistic, or sensorial terms. I initially proposed a typology that classifies multimodal museum practices centered on sound. This was the focal point of my article <i>Museums as Sites for Displaying Sound Materials: A Five-Use Framework</i> (Cortez 2022), where I delineated five categories—each pinpointing a distinct area of practice. The present article introduces two revisions. Firstly, it expands this theoretical framework by introducing two additional categories. Secondly, it further solidifies the entire framework by adopting a genre-based approach, inspired by Michael Halliday's functional grammar. My insights into each category are illustrated with real-world-examples from the 104 exhibitions I have visited, showcasing sound in various creative ways.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":10791,"journal":{"name":"Curator: The Museum Journal","volume":"68 3","pages":"513-533"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144647073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Passing the Baton","authors":"John Fraser","doi":"10.1111/cura.12665","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cura.12665","url":null,"abstract":"<p>With great enthusiasm, I am pleased to announce that Wiley has appointed two distinguished museum scholars as my successors in the role of Editors-in-Chief of this journal. Dr. Theano Moussouri of University College London and Dr. Laura-Edythe Coleman of Drexel University, both of whom have served as Associate Editors for many years, will be stepping into this role. Dr. Moussouri joined the journal as Books Editor in the early 2000s and has been a steadfast presence through many of the changes made to support our readers. Together, their experience ensures continuity as the journal navigates the challenges of the coming decade. I invite everyone to warmly welcome them into their new roles.</p><p>A journal's identity is shaped not solely by its editorial leadership but by its authors' willingness to engage with constructive critique. Editors provide a compassionate framework for criticism, guiding authors to strengthen their work and withstand external scrutiny. Drs. Moussouri and Coleman possess these qualities, and I am confident in their ability to uphold the journal's standards as I pass the baton.</p><p>As I conclude my tenure as Editor-in-Chief, I reflect on the journal's storied past, shaped by my immediate predecessors Zahava Doering (2000s–2010s) and Sam Taylor (1990s–2000s). Founded in the 1950s by curators at the American Museum of Natural History, the journal was created to meet a critical need: establishing a scholarly publication for museum studies that could match the rigor of journals where museum researchers published their disciplinary work in art, anthropology, and natural history. Its early trajectory mirrored the post-war optimism of the United States, where the museum field was expanding rapidly, in contrast to Europe, where museums were still recovering and rebuilding. This foundation underscored the academic significance of museum studies across both the humanities and sciences. However, much of the initial content reflected a distinctly American perspective, often favoring a descriptive, “show-and-tell” approach.</p><p>By the late 1990s, the journal transitioned under new leadership to the California Academy of Sciences, where my predecessor, Dr. Zahava Doering, assumed the Editorship. During this period, I joined as an Associate Editor, tasked with identifying a new publisher and shaping a more global vision for the journal. This journey led to Wiley, initially as our publisher and, since 2015, as the journal's commercial owner. Together, we have evolved into a platform for global scholarship in museum studies.</p><p>Since joining the Wiley family, the journal has expanded its reach, developed a global editorial board reflective of its diverse readership, and embraced innovation in accessibility. Notable achievements include the adoption of screen reader-ready Alternative Text (AltText), the experiments with fellowship grant programs for new authors, and the launch of a translations initiative to support non-English re","PeriodicalId":10791,"journal":{"name":"Curator: The Museum Journal","volume":"68 1","pages":"7-8"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/cura.12665","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143530809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Biodiversity Data Curation as a Profession in South African Natural Science Museums","authors":"Willem Coetzer, Mark Lisher","doi":"10.1111/cura.12666","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cura.12666","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We reflect on our work with several South African natural science museums, most of which lack positions dedicated to managing biodiversity data. We argue that there is a need to recognize the profession of biodiversity data curation, an example of which is described in the area of taxonomic data cleansing and publication. Greater recognition could elevate this work to a professional level and address the lack of capacity in museums, encourage data curators to develop their skills, and give museums a well-trained cohort from which to recruit professionals. We argue that the use of industry-standard tools and practices will improve the integrity, security, and usefulness of potentially valuable biodiversity data. We propose a model of joint responsibility for server administration and biodiversity database hosting, to enable under-resourced museums to benefit from the systems administration capacity of a well-resourced organization.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":10791,"journal":{"name":"Curator: The Museum Journal","volume":"68 3","pages":"506-512"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144647807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Moral Feeling in a Museum: Learning Through an Exemplar-Based Thematic Exhibition","authors":"Yanpeng Song","doi":"10.1111/cura.12664","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cura.12664","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In this paper, I explore the rational and characteristics of exemplar-based thematic exhibitions as an approach to promoting children's moral feeling in China's museums. This approach concerns the interaction between historical events, moral exemplars, as well as children's emotional and moral experiences in the context of an exhibition on a particular theme. By analyzing the specific thematic exhibition titled <i>Caretakers of the Mogao Caves,</i> I will argue that, by focusing on relevant exemplars, affective stories, and reflective dialogues, museums can provide fertile ground for kindling children's moral feelings of empathy and developing their conscience.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":10791,"journal":{"name":"Curator: The Museum Journal","volume":"68 1","pages":"259-270"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143530569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Red Tourists and National Identity in the Museum Commemorating Deng Xiaoping","authors":"Yong Tang, Suya Tan, Shuang Zhao, Weiyu Cheng","doi":"10.1111/cura.12661","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cura.12661","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study aims to identify types of red tourists based on their travel motivations for visiting the museum commemorating Deng Xiaoping, with a focus on their experiential sense of national identity conceived by the two identified groups ahead of the centennial celebration of the Communist Party of China. Survey data collected from 349 mainland Chinese tourists revealed that red tourism in China is a complex cultural, social, and economic phenomenon, rather than merely an agent of political socialization, because the museum attracts red tourists who are interested not only in patriotic education and commemoration but also in leisure and recreation. Red visitors seem to be patriots who identify China as a multi-ethnic country and a great nation, whereas red pilgrims are more likely to align with specific political ideologies, such as socialist road and core socialist values. The study enhances our understanding of the types of red tourists and their individual differences in travel motivations and national identity, suggesting curators evaluate the effectiveness of their marketing strategies and consider making minor changes to the exhibits for different types of visitors.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":10791,"journal":{"name":"Curator: The Museum Journal","volume":"68 3","pages":"495-505"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144647800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"All That Glitters is Not Gold: Viewer Understanding of Felix Gonzalez-Torres's Candy Spill Installations","authors":"Rachel Trusty","doi":"10.1111/cura.12663","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cura.12663","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The push to “queer the museum” calls for an increase in the inclusion of LGBT+ artworks and artists as an intervention into the heterosexual museum and canon. While popular, the display of queer, abstract objects is complicated as many museum visitors do not perceive the LGBT+ themes. In this article, I present the data on audience interpretation of two candy spill installations, <i>Untitled (L.A.)</i> (1991) and <i>Untitled (Placebo-Landscape-for-Roni)</i> (1993), when they were featured in exhibitions at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, AR. Participant observation of and interviews with visitors demonstrate that while they understood the piece as a disruption to the site, no LGBT+ content was perceived. I make specific recommendations to museums based on the findings that argue the installation display, label text and placement, and museum staff training impact the viewer's understanding. As museums continue to participate in the <i>queer turn,</i> more should be considered when tackling the ethical display of LGBT+ works.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":10791,"journal":{"name":"Curator: The Museum Journal","volume":"68 3","pages":"484-494"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144647559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}