There are MAPs and then there are maps . . .

. . . and in the wake of finishing one set of assignments in order to ‘clear the decks’ for the next, I’m currently using more of an ‘A to Z’ kind of map, than the ‘AGMS Group Project MAP’. Hello! I’m away in the midst of research travels. Yes, there will be stories (hopefully interesting-in-a-good-way, stories). 🙂

About MAP

Here is a link a related blog specifically for the MAP group project: http://mapsend.wordpress.com/

Comments by Guests from the Digital Curation Project.

The following comments were posted using Stena’s blog by Sinny on behalf of these listed participants of the AGMS Digital Curation tract as part of their ‘MAP’ project:

Response to “Blogs-R-Us” concerning Maharajah, by Sinny: http://learningmanchester.wordpress.com/2011/01/25/blogs-r-us/

Response to “Things Hotting Up” concerning the iconic whale skeleton, by Jane: http://naturemanchester.wordpress.com/2011/03/04/things-hotting-up/

Response to “The Frog Blog” concerning the Golden Mantella, by Meng.

Response to “Curator’s Diary” concerning display of human remains, by Alice: http://egyptmanchester.wordpress.com/2011/03/28/curators-diary-monday-28th-march-2011-spring-is-here/

Response to Mancultural by Stena

Marathon Practice in Social Media.

I’ve chosen to respond to a MM blog-related post a day for remainder of this week (30 March 2011-5/6 April 2011), concluding with a report about our group project presentation (5 April 2011) and what we learned from it. Here are the fortunate victims—erm, featured blogs:

• Egypt at the Manchester Museum
• The Frog Blog
• Mancultural
• Entomology
• Dinosaur CSI

Kind of asking for trouble at this stage . . . or at least inviting a shortage of sleep what with all the due dates coming up! Wish me luck! (Okay, Mancultural down, four more to go . . . where did I put that Powerbar and Electrolyte booster . . . )

Coming Clean on Celebrity?

I do have a love of objects for their own sake but admittedly find that what they mean and how they have been used or functioned (the story of their function in social context) is often what makes the museum experience interesting to me. Take this bar of soap, posted at the Mancultural blog. We have no idea if Queen Victoria really used this object but we know the soap was from that time and place, and provides a catalyst for talking about her visit to Manchester –perhaps a starting point for other topics about Victorian Manchester, celebrity, and life in general! To me, this is a great reminder of how museums are in a way, really collections of stories and an invitation to dialogue. For more information about this object, and other fascinating objects in the Living Cultures collection at Manchester Museum, please visit: http://mancultural.wordpress.com/2011/03/14/imperial-lather/

Manchester Museum’s Crabby Doorman?

As a part of our journey into the world of online museology, ‘AGMS Digital Curation’ group is in a process of worrying Manchester Museum’s Flickr stream and departmental blogs with our rampant, spring-has-sprung enthusiasm. Additionally, as a followup to Picture a Museum Day, we’ve each chosen a favorite photo/object to discuss. Instead of just telling you outright, I’m starting with a riddle about my favorite:

“I’m crabbiest of doormen, so please be kind; everybody knows me, I’m easy to find! Take a leisurely stroll down Oxford Street; I’m next to a café where friends often meet! Who/what am I?”

Can you guess what the bit of photograph is? To see the answer, visit: http://bit.ly/digitalcurationproject

Banksy and Hustwit: Street Museologists?

In Praise of Banksy’s “Exit Through the Gift Shop” and Hustwit’s “Objectified”:

There is probably no one that hasn’t seen Banksy’s curious meta-documentary, Exit Through the Gift Shop but suffice to say if you have not, and have any interest at all in the purported subject of the film—street art and graffiti artists—then this film is worth viewing. Just as important as the advertised thesis however is the essence of what the film actually is; which is—well, it’s—okay. This is where the professed inability of the interviewed subjects within the film to articulate descriptive reflection regarding the film is contagious. It is very difficult to explain what this film ‘is’—at least for me it is (difficult to explain). It is a commentary of a commentary. A film about street art and artists, by a fan-turned-artist . . . and what the subjects of the documentary think about the maker of the documentary. Ultimately it is difficult to tell who is really making the film, and hard to tell if it is all just a set up or if some of the footage is genuinely on-the-fly. It’s impossible at times to know where the crafted prescriptive docu-reality ends and the closer to descriptive docu-reality begins. Of course it’s a given that there is no such thing as truly descriptive documentary making, because even in choosing the angle of the camera the film maker is creating a filter of perception—a POV, but this film intentionally challenges the concept of ‘objective’ or ‘real’ documentary practice.

At this point, you clearly see the difficulty—no simple words, unless you get very simple! Most of the people that emphatically encouraged me to see this film (which was really not necessary because I’m very interested in street art and graffiti, but hadn’t managed to have a couple of hours out of any given day for the past few months to devote to watching a film)—most people I knew that had seen the film discussed it critically in the following way: “OMG YOU HAVEN’T SEEN IT?!!! Dude! AWESOME FLICK!!! Seriously! Killer! Must see this!!!” Having now seen Exit Through the Gift Shop I concur. 🙂

A second film that I watched back in January but have heard no buzz about whatever is Gary Hustwit’s Objectified. This film is a very stylish, conservative and conventional documentary. The ideas regarding how we view objects, what they mean to our lives, how we form tools and they form us are not especially new discussions but are certainly important concepts to revisit in the context of how those perspectives influence current designers. ‘Objectified’ is a very useful, informative and interesting viewing.

V&A Collection: West African Evening Dress

This is the object that my Museum Policy and Management course group has chosen to ‘hypothetically’ request on loan from the V&A, for our project (‘hypothetical’ redesign for Living Culture’s Gallery, Manchester Museum).

The gown is an excellent example of a visually compelling, attractive hybrid object. The ‘West African Evening Dress’ by London-based designer Matilda Etches is a European interpretation of a traditional style of wrap worn by women in West Africa. It was made using fabric manufactured in Manchester. The border of the fabric incorporates Morse code ‘V’ (…-) as well as the letter ‘V’ for victory in its pattern. Produced in the wake of WWII in 1948, it is also exemplifies the environmental and aesthetic perspective of its time. It is made of cotton rather than silk, and though the wrapping style is based upon African tradition, the overall silhouette is reflective of Dior’s pivotal and pervasive “New Look” of 1947. The gown is a beautiful physical representation of dialogue between cultures as well as an example of Manchester textile industry prowess establishing a practical, immediate connection between the heritage of Manchester and the heritage of other cities, countries, societies, and industries of the world. For more information about the gown, please visit:

http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O83594/evening-dress-west-african/

In Loving Memory of Edward C. James (19 April 1942 – 4 February 2011)

Edward C. James 

Edward Charles James, 68, of Wapato, passed away in his sleep on February 4, 2011.  He was born at home in Fayetteville, NC, to Eddie James and Lucille Smith James on 4/19/1942, the eldest of four children.  Because they were a military family, Edward moved often.  In his youth, his parents instilled in him the importance and love of learning.  His mother bought him a set of encyclopedias that he read A to Z, and his father took him to historical sites all over the world, fostering his passion for history. He attended Edwards Military Institute in Salemburg, NC. In 1959 Edward went with his father to live in Germany, remaining until 1964.  Friendships developed there have lasted his lifetime.

On 6/26/1966, Edward married his cherished Wilaalík, Mary Cecil Johnson.  The ceremony was delayed 2 hours until his father arrived from a tour of duty in Korea.  After their marriage they lived in Tacoma near the university where they met.  His daughter Kirstin was born there and made her stage debut on campus at nine months of age.  Her bedtime stories were whatever university text her father happened to be studying, be it Chinese language and culture, Roman army formations, or stage lighting. In 1974, Edward graduated from Central Washington University with BA, majoring in military history with a double minor in anthropology and theatre.

The family lived in Ellensburg from 1973 through 1990, where Edward began his career as a forest warden and then forest fire-fighting crew supervisor with DNR (Department of Natural Resources), continuing until his retirement in 2005. An expert in martial arts from his military training, Edward also trained in karate starting in 1975, eventually achieving a black belt, after which he founded the Kittitas County School of Karate and taught Doshinkan and Shudokan Karate-Do. Moving to Wapato in 1990, Edward became active with friends he met in the Yakama Nation.  As one of Virginia Beavert’s first students at Heritage University, he learned to speak the Yakama dialect of the Sahaptin language, and eventually taught classes.  Edward was an associate member and Historian of the Yakama Warriors Association and the Marine Corps League.  He took these commitments extremely seriously and considered it a true honor to be associated with these groups and share his knowledge of military history.

Edward is survived by his parents, 1^st Sgt. E.8. Eddie and Lucille James of Puyallup; his beloved wife, Mary James of Wapato; a daughter, Kirstin James of Wapato and Manchester, England; two brothers, Robert James of Orting, and Larry James of Puyallup; a sister, Susie Vinson of North Carolina; longtime, close family friends Dick and Ina (Opp) Forward of Munich, Germany; and a large extended family and many friends both here and abroad.  Edward’s larger than life presence and laughter will be missed by all.

The family suggests that remembrances in Edward’s honor may be made to Yakama Warriors Association’s Scholarship Fund or to the Marine Corps League for service projects.

Edward C. James Funeral Services: February 8, 2011; Order of Service

1.  Tony Washines                            Seven Drums Ceremony                   

2.  Victor Wood           Coordinator of Service Eulogy and Comments for Yakama Warriors  

3.  Ed Falter               Comments for Marine Corps League Washington State Commandant

4.  Loren Corpuz                     Yakama Warriors    Bugle: Battle Hymn of the Republic 

5. Dr. Virginia Beavert                            Beloved Friend and Sapsikw’ala

6. Susie Vinson, First Family Speaker; Larry James, Second Family Speaker  

7. Ed and Sue Rousculp          Comments from Friends 

8a. Military Honors                 Yakama Warriors Association and the Marine Corps League

8b. Loren Corpuz                    Bugle: Taps

 9. Tom Redfeldt,   Yakima-Kittitas Commandant, Marine Corps League:  Presentation of Flag to Mother, Lucille James.     

10. Invitation to Lunch/Reception; [Open Microphone Time During Lunch/Reception]

11. Mary and Kirstin James: Letter to Beloved Husband and Father

12. Viewing/Departure            Loren Corpuz: Bugle: Dixie

For the Amour of Armouries.

I don’t know why, but I’ve always felt more at home in armouries and war museums than any other kind of museum. It’s strange, a vegetarian pacifist that loves armouries! It is like as not because my father is a war historian and I’ve grown up around the subject, but whatever the case, armouries, war museums and memorials are the first places I look for in any new town I visit. Such was the case with Leeds. Upon my return to Manchester, I ran into someone I’d not seen in some while.

I told them how I’d just come back from a visit to Leeds. “Oh! Leeds!” he responded excitedly, “Where did you go? What did you see?” Matching his  enthusiasm I told him that I’d primarily spent my time at the Royal Armoury. “Oh.” he said, downcast in sudden disappointment “An armoury. Such dead places, armouries! Next time, we must go together, and find the more interesting galleries and theatres–places where something is going on.” It was my second revelation of that day.

Earlier, while at the Leeds Royal Armoury, I’d made my way up the magnificent tower staircase to the upper level, where near the floor entrance there is a life-setting (diorama) of a safari scene. It is stylized of course. The hunter bold and stern, his large gun aimed unswervingly at a tiger that is in threatening posture, an elephant arrayed for riding on the verge of collapsing to the ground as a second figure is dramatically frozen in mid-tumbling from their seat (astride said distressed elephant).

An older woman and a young boy stood to the side of the display, the little boy in tears, his elder caregiver trying to console him, saying “Now now! Big boys don’t cry! The hunter has to kill the tiger! And I know it seems mean, but the tiger is attacking them! That’s not very nice, either! Come along now, let’s go look at the hawks and horses . . .”

As watched them depart, I was almost in tears myself. I found it inconceivable that anyone could side with the jodhpur-wearing, well-fed and equipped Victorian sportsman of the tableau, obviously hunting for puerile entertainment (and as a demonstration of his worldly authority) against a rather pathetic, starved-looking, outnumbered and cornered Tiger. I wondered in years to come (if they remembered the experience at all), what that young visitor was to take away with them. Did the caregiver–eager to soothe the poor child’s anxiety and perhaps doubly, toughen him a bit for what they perceive to be the harsh realities of life–did they plant the seeds of sympathy for nature, or mistrust? My gallery-and-theatre-going friend had suggested that armouries are places where ‘nothing happens’ yet this one had that very day become a battleground in the formation of a child’s worldview.

Whatever else, it was evident that the interpretation of the display was in the eye and the mindset of the beholder. Though I’m certain that the museum curator’s intention was descriptive, a simple desire to ‘use what they have’ to represent a historical scene, the qualities of the choices made by the posture of the figures and their placement, dictated sensationalism; the lack of text in support of the display left it entirely open to personal interpretation. I remain unconvinced that the intention of the curator (if descriptive) ‘read well’ so to speak. Yet how should any museum practitioner feel comfortable casting stones? In my choice of words for this journal entry, have I not biased interpretation of the display (and with Sartre question if it is even possible to write/convey ‘the truth’ of experience)? How much control do any of us genuinely have over the message and interpretation of a display? I’ve flattered myself that museums strive to be purveyors of ‘truth’ but whose truth will out?

~Stena

Postscript: the photo is the upward view of the tower; I did take a photo of the display I’ve just written of, but the image was corrupted when I tried to download! Well, perhaps next time.