PAM curators & 50/50 exhibition

Pam Curators and the 50/50 Exhibition
I really enjoyed the 50/50 exhibition at the Portland Art Museum. Not necessarily for the works of art in the exhibition themselves, although they too were appealing, but rather the story behind the exhibition. I found it endearing and refreshing that all the works belonged to a modest couple in New York who had been collecting for decades. They were able to collect over 4,500 works of art on a modest income and stored them all in their small apartment. Their personalities came through in their collection within the pieces that they had, and the similarities between them. Their collection also said a lot about them by having many of the pieces been given to them personally by the artists themselves. They developed relationships with the artists and a name for themselves as collectors. It was interesting looking at the exhibition from the stand point of the curator. It was decided that the collection would be split up and divided into 50 pieces for 50 states. The pieces were randomly selected, after DC got their picks and then sent to museums around America. As the curator it was their job to figure out a way to display the works in a cohesive manor. The exhibition flowed like this; the first works to be displayed were those of more well known artists. Then it moved on to technique and process of making the art. The voice that sang out most from the collection was those of the collectors and their personalities along with the thought that most of the pieces wouldn’t have had the chance to be shown in such a way if not for them as well.
When were able to have one on one time and learn about everything that goes on and all the work involved in making exhibits and how the Portland Art Museum operates I was astounded by all the efforts. I didn’t know the time, money and science that goes into making the Portland Art Museum what it is. They already have exhibitions planned two years in advance, and they cost millions to bring to actuality. There is science behind the lighting, the temperature and the wall color. And they even pay attention to tribe affiliation and wishes when it comes to Native American exhibitions. One thing that was said that really stuck with me was, “curators do more than just hang up art work with a hammer and a nail. The should be called preservers, because that’s what they do. They Preserve art.” I thought that was really neat and encapsulated all that a curator does.