The Curators’ Hui in late September saw 35 curators from a range of small to medium-sized institutions from around the lower and central North Island gather together to catch up, review contemporary practice and debate pertinent issues (figure 1). The last similar Hui was held in Hawke’s Bay in 2002, so this event provided a long overdue opportunity for curators to meet and share opinions, projects and network.

WORK IN PROGRESS, ON THE DRAWING BOARD AND ACHIEVING AWARDS

After a powhiri and warm welcome by our Whanganui hosts, an update on recent projects kicked off, appropriately, with a sneak preview of Whanganui Regional Museum’s latest multimedia project. E rere te awa was created in partnership with UCOL Department of Graphic Design tutors. This project aims to implement visual language as a key interpretive tool for visitors.

Innovative use of touch-screen technology on an oversize screen places visitors in the role of roving curator as they navigate through a topographical map of the Whanganui region, exploring the flora, fauna and landscape through symbols, images, audio-visual references and bite-sized text. In the words of Curator, Michelle Horwood, “the result is a visual and auditory feast, an interactive design first, a comprehensive education resource and a must do visitor experience”. If the positive Hui reaction was anything to go by, then those present agreed. Great interest was also shown in the process of project development.

Following this, Rachael Davies gave an outline of the new concept plan for ‘The Tauranga Project’, an overview of the Jasmax designed facility on Tauranga’s waterfront with internal layout and architectural design within the context of the Tauranga harbour and surrounding cultural landscape. Manu Kawana, Kaihautu for Te Manawa, delivered a comprehensive and useful overview of communicating with iwi, his key points reinforced by the next presenter, Hemi Sundgren, with his presentation on an exhibition being developed by Ngati Mutunga in New Plymouth. Ngati Mutunga have just settled their Treaty claims and are looking to reinforce their presence and initiate new relationships in the area. Hemi stressed the Museum’s role as that of providing support to iwi and in helping to build wider strategic alliances for communities. Hemi also raised issues surrounding the defi nition of iwi identity, the role of taonga in strengthening iwi profile and building iwi capacity.

Lucy Hammonds and Gail Pope profi led an impressive range of design-inspired exhibition projects at the Hawke’s Bay Museum and Art Gallery, from Cyberpeacock: Adventures in Clubland, exploring the London club scene by the NZ OE contingent, to Look This Way: Roland Hipkins - Artist/Educator, an art review of the impact of the ‘La Trobe’ scholars and their influence on building a sense of identity in New Zealand. As recent recipients of the Gold 2007 award for spatial design at the Best NZ Design awards for Black Dress, White Vase, Hawke’s Bay staff continue to prove that national innovation excels on the periphery. Their original and clever exhibitions, visually interpreting curatorial concepts through design, not only break boundaries but also appeal to a wide ranging audience.

COMMUNITY MATTERS

Meredith Robertshaw asked the deceptively simple question ‘So, who buys the biscuits then’, examining the role and responsibilities of governance and operational bodies at the South Taranaki Museum with new structural change recently implemented. She highlighted the huge gains from working under the Local Authority strategic regional cultural heritage initiatives and the complex challenges and opportunities faced by a limited staff working to increase visibility and networking within its community. Greg Donson, curator of the Sarjeant Gallery, also reflected on the meaning and outcome of community engagement through the vehicle of the annual Whanganui Arts Review and an exhibition on the Quaker community. Greg used these shows to ask fundamental questions that strike to the core purpose and mission of the gallery. What is the gallery’s role in the community?, what are the true costs of engagement? and who defi nes communities?. He noted that working ‘outside’ the mainstream with smaller alienated groups is also vital in acknowledging and accepting difference within communities.

EXHIBITION ENGAGEMENT

Two sessions were held on conceptual development of exhibitions by Michael Findlay, lecturer in Design Studies at the University of Otago and former Curator of Social History at the Otago Settlers Museum. The first opened with Michael’s thorough analysis of a range of contributing exhibition elements within current practice such as narrative structure and origin, exhibition typologies, institutional history, the shifting role of objects, exhibition sequences, spatial design, and the role of visitors. Finlay’s style of delivery actively encouraged participants to consider their own institutional context, visitor role and staff influences in exhibition delivery and interpretation. The next day a practical workshop saw four groups construct their own hypothetical exhibitions, paying heed to the issues raised by Michael, with a varied and original responses, which in turn sparked further debate.

A successful component of the Hui, encouraged by the programme, was the rare opportunity for colleagues to simply talk. In another open session art gallery staff exchanged ideas about collaboration in developing programmes and a curatorial discussion simultaneously covered communication with designers and contractors. ‘Innovative exhibitions’ (a session also spread over the two days) highlighted new and original exhibition projects from Lower Hutt, Porirua, Whanganui and Japan. In Libby Sharpe and Che Wilson’s joint presentation on Te Pihi Mata / The Sacred Eye, developed in partnership with Whanganui iwi and based on the Partington Photograph Collection of photographs of Whanganui Maori, defining cultural space became a starting point for interpreting this rich and diverse resource on 19th century Whanganui history. Using the metaphorical eye of Partington’s camera lens visitors will be welcomed into conversations, past and present, from the wharepuni of Whanganui. The photographs, rather than treated as objects in themselves, are seen to be as windows, opening a view out into the world at large whilst also inviting visitors to look in.

Claire Regnault outlined a framework for innovative programming at TheNewDowse where ‘engaging creativity’ is the foundation for their recent projects, inviting visitors to be challenged, delighted and rewarded in their redeveloped facility in Lower Hutt. Claire reminded us that failure is just as important as success in striving to be bold. Developing and recognising diversity in their audience as well as subject matter, redefi ning margins and providing an integrated programme of ‘seeing and doing’ for visitors have all contributed to a recipe for success. Dean Flavell reached beyond the shores of Aotearoa ‘Traversing Time and Relationships’ to share his experiences, after being invited to work with the Museum of Ethnology in Osaka, in the redevelopment of their Maori galleries. By moving contemporary Maori culture and more importantly, the actual people themselves, to the forefront of these exhibitions, the Osaka team broke with their traditional interpretation of object-based galleries to establish new Pacific partnerships that have enlightened their ongoing museological practice. Dean’s recent attendance as one of the New Zealand representatives for the opening of Vaka Moana reflects an extension and commitment by the Museum to these relationships.

Bob Maysmor gave a virtual tour of Porirua’s Pataka. His exhibition tips for innovation, drew on a variety of recent shows and included simple yet effective interpretive design devices. Among these were clustering light boxes and covering the gallery fl oor with a large scale reproduction of a map.

DEBATING POINTS

Continuing the Hui theme of community engagement, participants were fortunate to take part in a worthwhile and robust discussion concerning the repatriation of koiwi tangata inspired by the presence of Dr Lissant Bolton, section head for Oceanic (Pacific and Australian) collections of the British Museum. Dr Bolton was visiting New Zealand to investigate and discuss opinions on the repatriation of koiwi tangata from the British Museum to Te Papa as a central repository. Contributions were heard from Whanganui Regional Museum Director Sharon Dell and Curator Michelle Horwood along with an iwi perspective from kaumatua John Maihi of Tupoho and the Ngati Apa representative on the Museum Trust Council, Joe Huwyler, on their recent experiences regarding repatriating koiwi to the community. Dean Flavell also spoke on behalf of Tauranga Museum regarding negotiations between Auckland War Memorial Museum and local iwi and the Kaumatua Forum with the Museum acting as facilitator for the process. Comments to Dr Bolton stressed the importance of reaffi rming provenance of koiwi and discussing options for re-interment when returned to New Zealand.

These Hui rely on the dedication of the hosting Museum staff to not only volunteer their time outside of regular duties but to seek external funding to implement such initiatives and to bring external speakers such as Michael Findlay, who invigorated the proceedings with his insight, comment and experience. Congratulations to Wanganui staff for undertaking this role on behalf of museum curators of the lower and central North Island. The Hui programme provided a stimulating and packed programme over two days that begs to be bought back as an annual occasion rather than an occasional event.

PDF

Te Ara - Journal of Museums Aotearoa; Volume 32; Issue 1 & 2; December 2007

Figure 1: North Island Curators gather for their hui at the Whanganui Regional Museum, September 2007
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: WHANGANUI REGIONAL MUSEUM