Monica Andrews

As the 2018-19 Meg Reitman Jacobs ‘63 Endowed Intern at the Tang Teaching Museum, I worked in the Education Department with a focus on college and public programs. One of my main duties was the creation and execution of a yearlong project, the Spotlight Series, a single-object tour of rarely seen works in the Tang collection and an open dialogue about the work, the artist, and relevant issues.

My goal was to use the Spotlight Series as a platform for dialogue, so participants could share their perspectives on our current cultural climate through the analysis of art. When choosing objects, I sought works that address important issues such as gender, race, ethics, and ritual and display. In Artworks for Teenage Boys, for example, the artist team Pruitt-Early created a series of six denim wrapped frames that feature embroidered patches of popular icons such as Richard Prince’s take on the Playboy icon with bunny ears on a skull wearing a bow tie. The patches, I thought, raised issues of toxic masculinity, identity creation, and the dissemination of gendered ideals through manufacturing and advertising.

For each of the six Spotlight Series sessions, I displayed the object either on a table or A-frame, and without labels or other objects in the room. This allowed visitors to experience the objects free from preconceived notions or distraction. I invited Skidmore classes that were studying topics related to the objects. For example, the Anthropology class Archaeology of the American Southwest discussed two Hopi kachina dolls, and the Art History special topics class “Photography in Africa” explored Safe from Harm by Richard Mosse. The audience generally included students, members of the public, and Tang staff.

Each Spotlight Series tour began with a short viewing experience, so participants could engage with the object. I then invited participants to share their observations with the group. Next, I provided background information about the artist, the artwork, and relevant themes and issues.

At this point, I opened the Spotlight event up to a general discussion, with the goal of letting all participants contribute and be valued. In preparation, I researched the selected objects to investigate intersections of artist biography, race, gender, sexuality, geography, politics, religion, trade, ethics, and contemporary discourse. To conduct the tour on ivory tusk carvings, for example, I researched the history of Loango tusk carvings, the use of ivory in art, elephant poaching statistics, global and domestic ivory trade regulations, and the effects of ivory regulations on museum practice and display. Understanding these histories, statistics, and regulations allowed me to approach the discussion from an informed perspective, provide additional information, and prompt various questions. Similarly, researching and presenting the histories of Hopi kachina dolls as ceremonial objects allowed me to critically examine their place in contemporary souvenir markets and museums as objects for consumption by non-Hopi peoples. This launched a conversation about the contemporary repatriation debate and shared cultural heritage.

Generally, Spotlight participants either engaged in a natural, free-flowing conversation, as with the Crazy Quilt tour with many museum staff, or were more formal, and raised their hands to be called upon, which happened during the tour of Safe from Harm by Richard Mosse, when an entire Skidmore class attended. As facilitator, I had to learn how to negotiate when to remain silent and when to provide clarification, additional information, or guiding questions and prompts. With students, I connected their comments to each other and provided positive reinforcement by thanking them for their observations and acknowledging the value of their contributions, which made it possible for students to open up and participate freely in the discussion.

At the end of each Spotlight, I summarized key points from the discussion, thanked the audience members for their participation, and provided information about upcoming events. But the conversation didn’t end there. Participants frequently stayed longer to continue discussing the object or themes among themselves, to ask questions, or to take another close look. These responses — ongoing conversations and deepening curiosity — provide evidence of the Spotlight Series’ success in deepening visitors’ engagement with objects from the Tang collection.

The Meg Reitman Jacobs ‘63 Endowed Internship provided me with the invaluable opportunity to develop the Spotlight Series, assist with various museum programs and events, and further engage student audiences through educational programming. Through the unique opportunities presented by the Jacobs Internship, I learned the value of providing accessible and engaging programming for a variety of audiences, the importance of effective communication and facilitation, how to manage and organize the execution of events, developed my research and outreach skills, and grew as a public speaker and young professional.

Perhaps most important, it was through this internship that I was able to discover my passion for museum education and event programming, and I have fostered a newfound drive to generate and develop accessible, educational, engaging, and exciting programs for all audiences. This internship also provided mentorship from the Assistant Director for Engagement, Tom Yoshikami, who has been an incredible role model. He taught me the skills necessary to succeed in the professional world, provided guidance for the next chapter in my life, and proved to me that one can love and be committed to their work with a genuine smile and care for those around them.

Lastly, this internship has served as a stepping stone for the next chapter of my life. Following my time at Skidmore College and my position as the Jacobs Intern, I will serve as the Public Programs Associate at the Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, Vermont. I am forever thankful for the Tang Museum for providing such tremendous opportunities for students to become involved and engaged in the museum, for the never ending support from the Tang staff, and for all of the incredible memories and dear friends I have made along the way.