Nau mai, haere mai, piki mai, kake mai - welcome to Exhibiting Cultures!
The aim of this course is to provide you with an introduction to the GLAM world (galleries, libraries, art galleries and museums).
In the first semester you will engage with Indigenous perspectives in relation to cultural heritage, and in particular a history of collections, exhibition and display, issues of curatorship, and repatriation. We look at important museums across the Indigenous world, and discuss the work of Native writers from around the world (NZ, Australia, the Pacific, Canada and the US) who are increasingly vocal about the ways in which museums and other public spaces need to (keep) changing to respond better to their colonial histories, and ongoing legacies of this.
In the second semester we switch to looking at museums in other parts of the globe, and you will learn about important themes and issues facing the sector including the origins of museums, their changing role and responsibilities before focusing on museums in the twenty-first century: new kinds of heritage (intangible and digital); management and conservation of collections today; exhibitions and interpretation; ethics and challenging exhibitions; and public programming.
Throughout you will have the opportunity to write and talk about what you are hearing, seeing, reading and experiencing, all in an open, inclusive and informal atmosphere.
The class is usually culturally diverse which adds value and meaning to the course. You are encouraged to work together as a team in your learning, not only inside the classroom but also outside class hours and will be given lots of chances to work together in class on smaller exercises. I believe that you learn best in a supportive and encouraging environment, not only in terms of lecturer-student, but also, as important, student-student. I strive for the classes to be open and friendly with any debates which arise in them to stay in the class – critical thinking and articulating such thinking is essential at post-grad level, but you are reminded that one person’s perspective should not be disregarded simply because it differs from your own. You should embrace such diversity and try to think beyond your way of thinking.
Many students continue their studies by writing their MA theses on topics they have learnt about in this class, while others have moved on to their PhDs too - all very exciting! Other graduates of the class have gone on to work in museums and art galleries, both here and elsewhere, so always reach for the stars.
Whaia te iti kahurangi, me tuohu koe, he maunga teitei - always aim high; if you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain.