Dani's Day One Reflections

Lunch
12pm-1:45??

It was really great meeting everyone! I was a little nervous coming in knowing that I have not taken formal classes in museum studies, but I think my past work/research experiences and interests made it much easier to connect with everyone. I'm really looking forward to learning from everyone and applying my ideas to this project. I know it's going to be a great summer.

Tour of the Space by Monique
2- 2:30pm??

I really like the structure of the Perelman Building. I think it's gorgeous. The staff in the building seemed friendly and open to sharing their resources; however, I agree with Monique's comment about the resource rooms not being inviting or clearly labeled. I'm still a little turned off by the fact that the exhibit is not in the main building. I hope the museum's promotional material for the exhibit is effective in attracting a diverse audience. I appreciated the supplemental/educational materials that the were in the library upstairs and smaller sitting room on the first floor. They're a bit out of the way though, so I don't know how many people will actually take advantage of them.

First Glance at the Exhibit 
2:30pm-3:45pm??

Look Again:
- The language perpetuated misconceptions of colonialism and artifact "acquisition" (ie. "British retaliation")
- Pushed audience to look at form differently but neglected to present us with the opportunity to unpack the historical/current role African artifacts play in the way Africa interacts and has interacted with world (vice verse)
- What's the point of prompting the audience to look deeply if they end up leaving thinking the same things?

3 Photographers/6 Cities:
- The layout made it difficult to differentiate between the photographers at times.
- I appreciated the music and the fact that the museum provided their works in book form. 
- The gallery had a strange way of homogenizing the cities. It reminded me of conversations I've had about the way the "West" views modernity in African cities. It was othering.

Vlisco:
- Neocolonialism.
- I don't think the company's work should have been included in the exhibit. It's a European company that has gained success from merging its imagined African aesthetic with Indonesian, Indian and "western" influences.
- I saw a few white women taking photos.

Architecture of Francis Kéré:
- I literally saw the word "primal".
- I liked that the gallery was interactive and used multimedia.
- There was a clear theme: Working together promotes creativity
- It felt a little cluttered.

Threads of Tradition:
- The language was instructive and the lighting threw me off, but I know the dimness was probably due to preservation purposes.
- The blocks were an interesting addition. I don't quite know how I feel about them.