1. PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION: FENWICK HALLWAY GALLERY
Jenna Rinalducci, MA, MLIS, Art & Art History Librarian
Jamie W. Coniglio, MLS, Head, Fenwick Library Research Services
Take Risks, Embrace Change:
The 2014 Conference for Entrepreneurial Librarians
October 17, 2014
4. Fenwick Library Hallway Interior 1983 - 2013
⢠Connects original Fenwick
space to two towers/wings
(stacks, SC&A, UDTS, other
library offices, study rooms,
study spaces, DWR, etc.)
⢠Hallway used for
⢠Card Catalog space
⢠Public OPAC space
⢠Public PC space
5. Fenwick Library Exterior 1967 - 2016
Fenwick Library New Addition (scheduled completion January 2016)
⢠November 2012 â January 2013
⢠Existing first floor, all wings, moved, rearranged
⢠AUL and Head, Fenwick Research Services chatting in hallway
⢠Discussing next phase of construction preparation
⢠Hallway = new fireproofing / new fire doors, wall
⢠Re-routing traffic during Fall Semester 2013
⢠The BIG idea
7. Head, Fenwick Research Services:
âWouldnât it be really
neat if we could stick
up some sort of art
or stuff to jazz up
this hallway?â
AUL, Research & Ed Services:
âGreat idea!
Go for it!â
Head, Fenwick Research Services:
âHEY, JENNA!
GUESS WHAT!!â
11. Grounded in Reality
Problems:
Tech Services Door
Area Temperature Control
New Fire Doors & Wall
Two windows covered
Available Space:
74â wide 62â 3â long
Gallery Display Zone
Entrance/Exit:
92â wide 65â long
Fire Marshal Zone
12. WATER / Physical Structure: Fun with Facilities
⢠Facilities
⢠Painters
⢠Electricians
⢠Carpenters
⢠Pedestals
⢠Bookcase, Pillar
⢠Networking
⢠ADA needs
⢠In the background
⢠Gallery Name
⢠Gallery Tagline
16. SKY / Internal Infrastructure
First Things First
⢠Write GRA position description
⢠Advertise and hire GRA
Research
⢠GRA = other library galleries
⢠GRA = space needs (lights, etc)
Gallery Mission and Goals
⢠Set the vision
⢠Set the parameters
⢠Basis for policies, procedures
17. SKY / Internal Infrastructure: Mission Statement
Fenwick Gallery is a hybrid,
walk-through exhibit space
contributing to an atmosphere
of scholarship & inquiry.
Rooted in the librariesâ mission,
the purpose of the gallery is to
enrich the intellectual, educational
and cultural life of the University.
18. SKY / Internal Infrastructure: Goals
⢠Promote the Librariesâ collections
to encourage scholarly and cultural
inquiry at George Mason
University
⢠Highlight research and scholarship
at/of George Mason University
⢠Stimulate intellectual and creative
reflection through visual and multi-media
exhibitions, discussions, etc.
⢠Promote the Librariesâ academic
and cultural mission
⢠Support the Librariesâ development
program and goals
19. SKY / Internal Infrastructure
⢠Meetings with School of Art administrators
⢠Formed partnership (MOU)
⢠We hire MFA student / They provide 6 credits in-state tuition
⢠Meetings with legal counsel
⢠Adapted artist release form to comply with University
⢠Meeting with faculty curator
⢠Discussed policies & release form to confirm on right track
⢠Meeting with University Records Manager
⢠Developed plan to retain admin documents
⢠Meeting with Head, Metadata & Cataloging
⢠Workflow for location change/Gallery location in catalog
⢠Meeting with DPS
⢠Set up Gallery website (Word Press)
⢠Omeka
28. Current Exhibit Up October 13, 2014
Scenes from Behind the Wall: Images of East Germany, 1989/90
⢠In collaboration with Librariesâ Special Collections and History faculty
⢠Existing SC&A image collection
⢠University-wide recognition of 25th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin
Wall
⢠Exhibits, lectures, film screenings, musical performances
31. Class Visits
âIt was also great
to have the exhibit
up for a month,
which allowed
faculty to fold
Call + Response
into their syllabi
and assignments.â
â Susan Tichy, Professor
English Department
32. Advertising / PR
⢠library.gmu.edu
⢠Library News
⢠FB, twitter, myMason
⢠Flyers
⢠LCDs
⢠Library
⢠Student Centers
⢠Working on link from SoA site
33. Gallery Talk September 17, 2014
âIt was so rewarding for the
exhibition participants to have a
large audience attend the panel
this year and follow-up comments
have been glowing in praise of the
show and panel.â
- Helen Frederick, Professor, Art
35. Archiving
University Archives
⢠Artist Release Forms
⢠Permissions to film in gallery
OMEKA Website
⢠Administrative documents
⢠Exhibit materials
⢠Images, Interviews, etc.
37. Masterpiece(s)
Engagement Activity & Buzz Staff Development Creative Art & Inquiry
âI think the library has offered
a very different contextâŚ
and that more students and
visitors to the library are noticing
and reflecting on the work,
perhaps in a more serious way.
Certainly the exhibition is
accessible to many more and
diverse audiences who are not
distracted by other activities
as they were when entering
Gallery 123 from the food court.
More students and visitors
to the library are noticing
and reflecting on the work,
perhaps in a more serious way.â
â Helen Frederick, Professor
School of Art
42. Realized Vision
âIt exposes people to art during their regular day-to-day
activity, instead of being set apart and separate.
It's thrilling that everyone from construction workers
to professors to students to campus visitors
got to enjoy the work.â â Ariel Hamilton, artist
43. "I get so excited every time
something new goes up in here."
â Mason Undergraduate Student
So do we.
Itâs a piece of cake!
#score
Physical Environment â Why the Hallway?
Fenwick Stages of Growth
January 2013
After BIG Move
Itâs just a hallway guys â not any more!
The âhey letâs put on a showâ effect
Involving artists put the project on another plane
Spring Semester 2013
Diane at meeting learned that Gallery 123 in main student center was closing
Diane âfloatedâ idea of Fenwick art space by CVPA Senior Associate Dean
JR and JC drafted proposal and submitted it to Diane
Proposal taken to University Librarian and approved
Two simultaneous projects
Convert/Prepare the space physically = water
Prepare to manage the space = sky
Forms
And more
JC â describe physical space changes - water
JR â describe research and admin set up for space - sky
Physical space work: approximately January 2014 â April 2014. (Hallway shut down due to construction prep September â December 2013. Basic timeframe to pull gallery together for first show = August 2013 to April 2014. With adventures along the way.
Firewalls = new. Tech Services door âalcoveâ. No plants in gallery?
Preparing the Vision â
You need what? â tools â not just sticking up stuff
Carpenters â windows, pedestals
Mason White
Painting the roses red â white bookcase got painted
Borrowed pedestals â have since had our own made
Old display case not needed by gov dox anymore
Need pic of tool case / storage closet
Preparing the Vision â
You need what? â tools â not just sticking up stuff
Carpenters â windows, pedestals
Mason White
Painting the roses red â white bookcase got painted
Borrowed pedestals â have since had our own made
Old display case not needed by gov dox anymore
Need pic of tool case / storage closet
2 west windows were covered by construction workers for fireproofing
2 windows covered in drywall/ much discussion on what and how to cover west facing windows. JC = DUH. Letâs cover them to match the 2 drywall windows. Got the ok â painted white.
Decided it would be good to have them all painted a color closer to the brick color
Door jamb ends useable space; wooden door painted white to âblendâ
Discussion on painting the bricks â covered the windows
Where are they? Painters hammered this summer with moves and other interior projects on campus â very unusual to be put to bottom of list â seized the moment. Repeated last week due to budget cuts not scheduling problem.
Discovered different colors/types of spackle and learned to love magic eraser
Other times weâve had to do it
Jamie & couple other library staff filling painting & spackling this summerâa lot of work!
This last time less work so only light spackling & sanding along w/ magic eraser
Hired GRA with experience â smart move. GRA had art connections and gallery experience. Set GRA to researching library gallery âstuffâ â based on the research, created mission and goals to set the stage for policies, etc.
Policies include statement on âease of installationâ (jenna is this right?) I will print out a use policy doc and bring it. Security statement on release form â correct? As well as use policy.
Conversations with SoA
July 2013
Meeting set up with CVPA Senior Associate Dean and relevant CVPA staff
Learned that Gallery 123 was closing in JC
CVPA staff in transition
CVPA interested in pursuing public art space
FenRef offered one GRA position to be re-worked and dedicated to project
Gallery website â decisions had to be made on layout, what to include, content update, etc â all JRâs responsibility and decision -
Release form
Section of Exhibit Highlights
Exhibit schedule: flexible â aiming for at least 3 per semester? Plan is for staff exhibit to be standard / tradition for summer sessions
Gallery upkeep â budget cuts now. In talks with library admin services about âreal patch and paintâ at least twice a year between academic sessions. Key will also be how show layout to hide the worst booboos until they can be really fixed. Still trying to get paintersâ mason white vs. home depot match. Stay tuned.
As of April, 3 exhibits run full course
Want to show some highlight from those 3
In addition, new exhibit just went up
Plus will have 2-3 more exhibits before summer thanks to enthusiasm of the current grad asst
1st exhibit curated by graduate assistant w/ a lot of experience curating & installing shows
Focuses on the voice of women in artâhence the name
All of the work by female artists, although really was on art that addressed womenâs issues
Can see the grad asst Ceci installing the works w/ help from staff member from Tech Services who is sculpture & wanted to learn about exhibit installation
Mixture of original work on display & high-quality posters showing art that was featured in a student-run journal So to Speak started by Creative Writing MFAs
Work in lower right corner by the gallery grad student
Bookcase of left highlights items from library collection: books & journals in 1st exhibit
Decided to have soft opening so no reception
But did put information & images on the website & created handout as take-away
Several people in the library suggested showcasing work by library staff & really liked idea
Have a lot of hidden artists in the library in various departments (cataloging, reference, systems, admin office, circulation)
Incl. examples of fine and applied arts
From images can see: sculpture, painting, photography, glasswork & needlework
See some additional examples here
Since show invl. different mediums & sizes took more space planning than previous show
Plan to continue having staff exhibits in summer
Summer little more difficult since donât have grad asst
Plus helps morale
3rd & most recent exhibit that just finished is Call & Response
Pairs writer & artist who then create artist book together
Can see works take variety of forms
Primarily features MFA students from Art & Creative Writing BUT also artists & writers associated with the university
6th annual Call & Response exhibit
Curator by 2 faculty members from SOA & English
See postcard/advertising on left they created
Plus images of installation
See some other pieces from exhibit
New wrinkle: request to hang piece from the ceiling â we did it!
Kept electrical & network outlets so could have multi-media exhibits
Able to take advantage of that & video here shows process used by the artist
Exhibit just installed this week
Worked with Special Collection since photographs from their department
Was actually faculty request (history)
Part of larger celebration on campus program
George Mason Campus Weeks
Commemorating the 25th anniversary of Fall of Berlin Wall
See photographers whose work is featured in this new exhibit
But prior to installation, had to get the space ready again.
See graduate assistant Anne sanding the walls after spackling to fill in the holes
Can see our âvery handyâ toolbox in the photo
Section: Events, classes and more
Goal in creating gallery has been to incorporate the university community into the exhibits
Includes class visits, event programming such as gallery talks & receptions
The last exhibit Call & Response had several classes come in to view the work
At least 6 classes visited the exhibit
Classes from both SOA & English Dept.
Ultimately our goal is to have these exhibits incorporated into the curriculum
The last exhibit Call & Response had several classes come in to view the work
At least 6 classes visited the exhibit
Classes from both SOA & English Dept.
Ultimately our goal is to have these exhibits incorporated into the curriculum
As part of the festival, Call & Response exhibit had gallery talk featuring pairs of artists & writers whose artist books in the show
Approx. 70 attendees incl., faculty, students & community members
So many people (esp. w/ 2 classes) that had overflow into hallway
Guinea pigs for event planning
Thankfully didnât scare them off & next plan to mark off larger space outside conference room
Following gallery talk:
Artists & writers in the exhibit and many attendees walked down to the gallery to continue discussion
See the artist discussing her work w/ photography professor
As part of the festival, Call & Response exhibit had gallery talk featuring pairs of artists & writers whose artist books in the show
Approx. 70 attendees incl., faculty, students & community members
So many people (esp. w/ 2 classes) that had overflow into hallway
Guinea pigs for event planning
Thankfully didnât scare them off & next plan to mark off larger space outside conference room
Following gallery talk:
Artists & writers in the exhibit and many attendees walked down to the gallery to continue discussion
See the artist discussing her work w/ photography professor
The gallery graduate assistant recorded the gallery talk & created videos
Instead of one long video, she created multiple, shorter videos showing each pair of presenters (artist & writer)
Theyâre available on the gallery website & on the library YouTube channel
Depending on time can show portion of video
Important behind-the-scenes aspect to creating & running gallery is archival process
Involves working w/ University Archives
But creating own archival recordsâJust given Omeka site to upload admin docs & information about past exhibits
Results / Outcomes / Plans Section
Also want to take a moment to show how far weâve come & where we plan to go from here
See here some of our intentions w/ gallery w/ text
Plus images from 3 exhibits
From mgmt perspective â itâs difficult for subject librarians to have the opportunity to directly supervise, plan, leadership, recruitment, scheduling, etc manage, assess, adjust, work directly with university personnel in other venues other than subject area foci - and develop those skills outside of a temporary group, work team or his/her own individual work. The gallery has afforded this position
Photo from the staff exhibit reception â exhibit = staff morale, support, delight; reception = same.
Yesterday reception for current exhibit
Falling under âAnd Moreâ category are interviews w/ artists
Graduate assistant Ceci from last year interviewed 2 artists whose work was in the 1st exhibit Womenâs Voices/Womenâs Visions
Both of the artists graduated from the MFA program at Mason
Even through her assistantship is over, sheâs still working on the video for us.
Will include on website
Have also incl. transcribed interviews on website & incorporated into exhibits for other 2 shows
Hope to make ongoing part of exhibits
Enhances the experience
Better understand the artists & their work
Collecting books on various aspects of art of course; also collecting artists books.
Libraries purchased this book from student creators
Will add to the artist book collection in the library
Artist who made that statement (Aleatory II: Aviary by Marcos MartĂnez & Ariel Harwick)
REPEATS FROM PREVIOUS SLIDEâAriel Harwick: âI am excited about this gallery space for that very reason: it exposes people to art during their regular day-to-day activity, instead of being set apart and separate. It's thrilling that everyone from construction workers to professors to students to campus visitors got to enjoy the book.â
It was challenging at first, to envision and design an exhibit for such a different space; but the library offers a larger and more diverse audience, with potential for great collaborations of a different kind. (Susan tichy)
Hereâs Playlist of 4 videos. Each approx. 1 minute
Video highlights from creating the gallery to the first three exhibits
Paintersâ field trip
PRETTY STRONG RESPONSE â WEâVE ONLY DONE 3 COMPLETE EXHIBITS! Word of mouth =