On the 11th January The co-production team began the work to reinterpret the ceramics exhibition in the Derby Museum cafe. The team, led by Andrea H-J, had been collecting feedback on the display for a while, both via Twitter and in person from Project Labs and general feedback left in the cafe.
As the work involves removal of the ceramics from the cabinets it can only be completed on a Monday when the building is closed to the public. I’m really excited to be able to assist; up until now I have only been involved in shorter term projects. This will be the first longer-term work I will have the opportunity to experience – the first time to see the curation, cleaning and documentation process from start to finish.
On this first day I have been mainly cleaning and preparing – keeping the space tidy, removing vinyl lettering from the cabinets, moving items in and out of stores, conducting some research on books suitable for the seating area. It’s great to be able to observe what is going on, and to be honest it was pretty similar, in fact nearly identical, to the visual merchandising and display work I tried when in uni’. The main difference is the cost of the items on display and the amount of documenting and auditing work that must take place as pieces are moved and displayed.
All being well I’m planning on helping every Monday. I’ve taken a few photos to document the process. I think it’s always great to see what goes on behind the scenes. It’s such a chance to see the pieces from an unusual point of view, such as from directly above or juxtaposed in odd groups it would be criminal not to capture some of the process…
If you’re interested in seeing the finished work, it is due for completion by the end of February. You can also follow the hashtag #DMCeramics on Twitter, and contribute a mug shot if you like.