Location: Robert Delaney Southwest Research Library and Archives
Reception: Thursday, April 24 at 12:00 - 2:00 PM
The Center of Southwest Studies is excited to present two unique student-curated installations featuring work from the museum collections. These exhibitions, on display in the Robert Delaney Southwest Research Library and Archives, are final projects developed in conjunction with the Department of Art & Design's Gallery Management course.
Willow Clark (Sophomore-History), who has work-studied with the Center for the past two years, presents Behind the Exhibit: A Glance at the Museum Curatorial Process, highlighting steps and best practices involved in museum collections management and curation. On display will be a new acquisition of eight Puebloan ceramic works, which were recently donated to the Center by Mary Ann Sestili of Potomac, MD. The pieces represent important and interesting pottery practices from Zia, Santa Clara, Hopi, San Ildefonso, Acoma, and Jemez Pueblos. As part of Clark's work with the Center, she has had the opportunity to welcome the pottery into the collection through documentation, condition reporting, and data entry, and hopes that sharing an installation of the many facets involved in museum practice will offer a peek behind the curtain of collections management and curation.
Lacy Miller (Senior-Geology), who has worked with the Center over the past four years, presents Herpetofauna of the Center: A Collection of Scales, showcasing a selection of objects from the museum collection featuring reptiles and amphibians as subject matter. The pieces represent an array of artistic media, stylistic choices, and cultural contexts. Miller, who is graduating this spring and plans to pursue a career in paleontology, aims to draw attention to the importance of herpetofauna to ecosystems around the globe.