Museum, Communities, and Artists Author(s): Claudine K. Brown Source: Visual Arts Research, Vol. 34, No.

2(67), Museum Education (2008), pp. 5-13 Published by: University of Illinois Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20715470 . Accessed: 29/03/2014 03:55
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

University of Illinois Press is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Visual Arts Research.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 64.62.201.15 on Sat, 29 Mar 2014 03:55:20 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

Museum,
Claudine

Communities,
.Brown

and Artists

NathanCummingsFoundation
Just as museums have reconsidered their rela

with their audiences, many museums tionships are also rethinking with art theirrelationships ists.Artistsneed to develop different typesof
if they are to un relationships with museums, and value the stewardship derstand responsi business; and museums can and should

ofmuseums as well as thecosts ofdoing bilities

take

full advantage of the creative and intellectual artistsbringto the table ina variety capital that ofways. This articleexplores thework of three
museums as active of each artists to participate that encourage and vocal members of their communi of these artists to the day-to-day work are muse institutions. These not only participate and advocates as ex

ties, and as contributors ums where

as designers, also function artists,they hibiting

planners, educators of the museum. for the work

I recently interviewed threemuseum direc tors whose work Ihave longadmired. All of their institutions have demonstrated com and inclu mitments todiversity, innovation, siveness and I continue to be impressed by each director's ability to lead and learn, theirknowledge of the issues thatconcern theircommunities, and their willingness to to form address those issues. partnerships I want to thankCarlos Tortelero, Executive Director of the National Museum of Mexi can Art; Chris Yelton, President of the In ternational Museum ofWomen; and Ron Chew, who for 17 years served as execu tivedirector of the Wing Luke Museum for wisdom and generosity. their Though several themes emerged dur ing all three interviews, I was especially intrigued by the roles thatartists play as ac tiveand vocal members of these museums' work communities,and as contributorsto the of themuseums. In these institutions, artists participate as exhibiting artists, designers, VISUAL ARTS RESEARCH

planners and sometimes community activ was remindedof artistswho were fea ists. I tured ingroup museum exhibitions,butwho resented the museums that showed their work because theycouldn't afford to travel toopenings, or of the artist who was selling the trunk his car at a dis from of catalogues count so thathe could stay in New York and attend a variety of museum events. These artists had work in major museums, but they were a part of them. didn't feel that they I believe that these tensions may exist because artists view museums as large stable entities thatare often housed in mag nificentedifices. Additionally,many larger institutions appear to be wealthy and their staffs come across as confident, knowl edgeable and well paid; and though artists are validated by being included in museum exhibitions, these opportunitiesmay not im mediately improve theirpecuniary circum stances. Accordingly, I believe that artists can and need to develop differenttypes of relationshipswith museums, ifthey are to understand the work and stewardship re sponsibilities of museums as well as the costs of doing business. However, my musings on this topic be gan before my recent interviews. In the worked at the Smithso mid-1990s, when I nian Institution,I received two phone calls from artists seeking support and validation thathave caused me to think about the re between communi museums, lationships ties, and artists.Though Ihave worked with museums throughout artists in my career, both of these calls made me realize that forsome museums, the art ismuch more important than the artist. Both of the art ists withwhom Ispoke were seeking, each inhis or her own way, access to a system 5

? 2008 by theBoard ofTrusteesof theUniversity of Illinois

This content downloaded from 64.62.201.15 on Sat, 29 Mar 2014 03:55:20 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

was eluding them. Ironically, that theyeach also represented extremely different points on the spectrum of theircareers. First Call: Hurry Up and Wait a young woman from call was from The first a small town inmid-America. This polite and very sincere recent graduate fromart school wanted to know how she might rent a Smithsonian gallery so that she could show herwork. Aftera longpause, I recom mended thatshe first attempt to get shows in local venues. I then suggested that she seek gallery representation, and I encour aged her to then broaden the scope of her venues. I lether know that it was important herwork to be reviewed by local and na for tional art critics. I also suggested that she apply forfellowships and submit proposals for Percent fortheArt programs throughout the country;and thenmaybe, justmaybe, a curatormight be willing to feature her work ina museum exhibition. She listened to me patiently and then said, "Mrs.Brown, the process thatyou just described could take a lifetime and I have something to say now.My work isgood and I need a show." Needless to say, we were I not able to not on the same page and was expedite thisyoung women's journey to art validation. However, her request did make me begin to think about when and how art ists findvalidation and acceptance in art
museums.

the who

imaginativeideas by supportingartists
innovation are in form and/or to working committed

development

of

adventurous

and

pursue content... We

inpartnership with theartistswhom we fund, providingadvisory services and multi-faceted financial aid and along with the life of promotional supportthroughout each Creative Capital project. (Creative
Capital, n.d.) professional development assistance

Indeed, thereare many artistswho come tobe highly valued by both theestablishment and the laypublic,who were not embraced by the establishment during their lifetimes. Though the young woman who called me was naive, she was also being entrepre neurial. More than a decade later,artists who are entrepreneurial are becoming the norm. Art schools are offeringcourses on marketing, developing business plans, and one's own work. creating venues for The Creative Capital Foundation was created in 1999, in large part to support entrepreneurial artists.The Foundation de work as follows; scribes its
Creative Capital... acts as a catalyst for

During the late 20thand early 21st Cen turies, respected artists have created art or allowed their work to be included in, for, corporate advertising, (Absolute Vodka and and developed home d?cor prod Infiniti); ucts, stationary, jewelry, and other func tional objects featuring theirwork. Many of these products have been developed in partnership with museums and are sold in museum shops. Individual artists have also identified alternative venues forshowing their work. Coffee shops, restaurants, bodegas, bar bershops, beauty parlors, laundries, va cant lots,exteriorwalls of buildings, store windows and repurposed buildings have all served as alternative gallery spaces. On lineoptions, such as You-Tube, FaceBook and personal as well as organizational blogs have also served artists effectively. Though many feel that the commercial izationof artists' images devalues the origi nal work, name and image recognitioncan add value toan artist's brand. Such recogni tioncan also increase sales of originalwork and increase the demand for the artist's work ina variety of media. Increased de mand for work isone of the highest forms of validation thatan artist can experience. A recent study of individualartists con ducted by the Urban Instituterevealed the following: what ofvalue to Validationisthe ascription
artists do and make. both formal and It takes many informal-some forms, tied to

direct, others money, others not; some indirect. The most prominent forms identi

of an artist's work by other (appreciation or direct public rec artists and audience ...Affiliations with training institu ognition

our fieldwork were peer recognition fiedin

Claudine K. Brown

This content downloaded from 64.62.201.15 on Sat, 29 Mar 2014 03:55:20 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

tions...

that 'brand' artists and

associate

them with thecharacteristics ascribed to

those entities were at particular venues

being selected to show work or perform

galleries, museums, fee houses, community (Jackson gious venues. ranging from formal and theaters to cof centers, and et al., 2003) reli

important too, as was

cerpted from the exhibition catalogue her responses to thework: Golden states theshe was 'physically un settled'bywhat she perceived to be the
'overwrought sentiment' 'shuddered at the crass and the 'bombastic of the art. She commercialism'

It ismy contention thatmuseums have the ability to improve the quality of lifefor artists by providing roles forthem to play in museums throughout theircareers. Second Call: Time is Running Out

self-promotion.' The 'absence of irony,' she adds, 'was pro found.' So the challenge for her was 'the judgment?but of judgment?not curatorial or the suspension

suspension aesthetic

of value judgment. (Kimmelman, 2002)

call was from My second thought-provoking an older, much beloved African-American artist. He called to say that he was termi nally illand he wanted a retrospective ex hibition ina "real"museum before he died. Money was not an issue. His originalworks and printswere popular, especially in the African-American community.He was one of those rareartistswho made a more than comfortable livingfrom the sale of his art. Churches, colleges, and community orga him tospeak and he would nizations invited sign hundreds of posters and prints.He col lected stories fromfans that foundhis work to be inspirational. Teachers had his prints in their classrooms and parents pur up chased his prints to remind theirchildren of theirfamilies'struggles and accomplish
ments.

On the other hand, Karin Higa, Director of the Curatorial and Exhibitions Depart ment and Senior Curator ofArt at the Japa nese American National Museum believes that"artcannot be separated from context." (Buitr?n,2007). Though Higa has curated and co-curated cutting-edge exhibitions featuringtheworks of Asian-American art and exhibited, ists,she has also identified without apology, artistswho are new to the Asian American and/or national canon. Sculptor Ruth Asawa and painters Hideo Date, Henry Sugimoto, and Hisako Hibi, all internmentcamp survivors, have cre ated work which some might perceive tobe

his work tobe illustrative, and too commer cial. They dismissed him and his works. He died without ever having a museum exhibi tion.Though his work hangs in hundreds, and possibly thousands of homes through out this country and abroad, this artist of the people was never acknowledged or validated by the establishment. Thelma Golden, Director of the Studio Museum in Harlem, should be commended fortakingon this issue in the 2002 exhibi tionBlack Romantic, a survey of theworks of 30 black artists,many ofwhom have sig nificant followings in theAfrican-American community. However, exploring such a body ofwork was challenging forthisvery seasoned curator.Michael Kimmelman ex

However,

museum

curators

found

"overwrought [with]sentiment" and suffer an "absence of irony." Yet their works are ing with and received hung pride by the Japa nese American National Museum's public with reverence and respect. Iofferthese two examples, not because Iam attacking the system, (though Ido find

current practices to be somewhat trendy and subjective as well as arbitraryand ca pricious) but because I recognize that there is, and probably always has been, disso nance between thatwhich the establish

ment views as great art and thatart which the communityembraces and views as in spirational. Iam also not invested insingle handedly changing the system. The issues are complex and Ibelieve thatnew systems ofengagement and validationare being cre ated by a new generation of entrepreneurial

artists and by museums thatembrace the values of their communities.

Museum, Communities, and Artists 7

This content downloaded from 64.62.201.15 on Sat, 29 Mar 2014 03:55:20 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

The Museum,

itsCommunity, and itsArtists

was When considering writing thisarticle, I moved to consider the work of museum directors who value artists as active mem bers of their communities. The following notes taken from my interviews may provide some insight intonew models of engage ment and redefine relationships between museums, communities and artists. Carlos Tortelero: The National Museum of Mexican Art The mission of the National Museum of Mexican Art is to show the art of Mexico fromboth sides of the border, from ancient times to the present. The museum's found ers wanted the institution to be located ina Mexican American neighborhood. They be lieved that ifthemuseum was located ina would have to be involved neighborhood, it with the issues of itsresidents. It's Director, Carlos Tortelero believes thatall museums have agendas. Mainstream museums that show mostly European art have agendas, as do science centers that have exhibits and programs focusing on Global Warm The National Museum of Mexican Art ing. is unapologetically pro-immigrationand an advocate for the issues of its community. The museum has also taken an affirma tive stand on Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual and Transgender (GLBT) issues and sees itself as a leader inan area many museums of color have chosen not to take a stand. The staffof themuseum is encouraged to be proactive and speak out at community meetings. They know that new ideas are welcomed at themuseum. The staff tends mem tobe young.Of the museum's 39 staff or are Staff members 8 40 above. bers, only mem have a strongwork ethic.Young staff bers also have children inpublic schools in the neighborhood. Inaddition to being en members, theyare also actively gaged staff involved in improvinglocal schools. The role of thecommunity. Tortelero be his community lieves that the big issues for are immigration, education, domestic vio 8 Claudine K. Brown

lence, and racism. The museum partners with hundred of organizations of all types. They include health organizations, social services providers, neighborhood associa tions, schools, cultural groups and other non-profits. Groups use the space to con vene meetings. They bring visitingdignitar ies to the museum to see the collections and meet the staff,and theyuse the space forspecial events and fundraisers. The staffdoes not attempt to control the agenda at meetings held at the museum. They see themselves as learners as well as teachers. The goal of themuseum is tocre ate an environment in which people see the museum as theirown communal space. One example of themuseum's partner ships with the local community involves the use of an abandoned police station. The museum wanted the space for program ming. However, when they learned that a local school needed the facility,the staff became advocates forthe school. Because the museum is committed to quality edu cation forcommunity youth, itserves the interestof the museum for local children to learn ina safe and healthy environment. The museum's staff members are currently involved indiscussions thatwere initiated would have themuseum by the school that use space in the building and provide art classes forthe students. The roles of the artists. The museum's existing collection does not necessarily re late to the issues thatTorteleroviews as im While, themu portant to his constituency. seum does have some prints and posters that relate to issues of social and economic justice, ninety percent of the collection is donated. The currentprocess forcollecting should correct thissituation. Inplanning the African Presence in Mexico exhibition, the museum was able to purchase sixty new works. The museum looks forward to pur works when it develops chasing important future projects, including its pending exhibi tionon immigration. Tortelero believes that the progressive has lost its focus, and thatprogressive left as a resultof the attacks artists are fearful on the National Endowment for the Arts

This content downloaded from 64.62.201.15 on Sat, 29 Mar 2014 03:55:20 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

and the post-9/11 climate in this country. The inherentstress of trying to succeed and survive as an artist is having a chilling effecton the artistic community. Tortelero also acknowledges thatartists of color are not necessarily communityart artistswho are Tortelero is interested in ists. with issues, those who talk actively involved to theirneighbors and the local barber or grocer, not just toother artists.He acknowl edges thatan artistwho seeks recognition and rewards from traditionalvenues such as commercial galleries and mainstream museums may not be doing work that's valued by the community,and that a val ued community artistmay not be a highly arts acclaimed artist in themore traditional Lessons learned.Tortelero observes that museum that focuses on the issues of its because itlooks less may suffer community thatset the standards likethose institutions forthe field. Communitymuseums may not receive grants for theirmost valued pro are often under grams and their institutions capitalized. Community-focused institutions staffscompeti nevertheless must offertheir tive salaries, health benefits, and pension must be stable if funds.These institutions are to offer support to communities in they
crisis. community.

to ask hard questions that can be made an engagement with art. clearer through Chris Yelton: InternationalWomen's Museum museum insociety.The mis The role of the sion of the International Women's Museum in San Francisco is to value the lives of women around the world. The staffof the museum is diverse, multilingual, and pas sionate about thework. Many also have ex perience working with websites. Members of the editorial team have come with a vari member ety of global experiences; twostaff five different speak languages. Inaddition to itssmall but very capable staff, themuseum also depends on volun teers and consultants. Approximately one of the efforton ImaginingOurselves, third on-line exhibition, con themuseum's first sisted of time and expertise from the 30 women fromaround theworld who serve on themuseum's Volunteer Advisory Coun cil. They advised the core team, garnered submissions forthe exhibition, and helped with the development of content. The mu seum's work has also been supported by highlyskilled interns. The museum's issues of concern dove Action.They tail with theBeijing Platform for are concerned with eliminating discrimina

Tortelero is concerned about communi thatare inordinately ty-focused institutions dependent upon public funds. It is his ex are laden perience that these institutions with time-consuming bureaucracies. This thatmay need is a problem for institutions to do exhibitions and programs ina timely manner. He is also concerned that com could become munity-focused institutions dependent upon corporate support, which could shape themessage of themuseum in a manner thatmight hurt rather than help theircommunities. Tortelero sees thiswork as essential to the furtheranceof equity and justice in this mu nation.The work of community-focused seums isabout listeningtovoices thathave been silenced, appreciating the contribu tionsof low-wage and middle-income mem bers of our society, and working collectively

tion; fostering empowerment; promoting economic independence; promoting liter and basic education; provid acy, training, health and advocating forhuman care; ing women and girls. The museum rights for has also concerned itselfspecifically with women and girls living with HIV/AIDS. The museum's firston-line exhibition, Imagining Ourselves, addressed most of these issues through itsTake Action bi monthly themes. The museum's next on lineexhibition, Women, Power, and Politics, is a more indepth examination of some of the same issues. It will include education programs, key partnerships, and local pro one will be on line for grams. This exhibition
year.

ImaginingOurselves was designed to inspireyoung women from twentyto thirty

Museum, Communities, and Artists 9

This content downloaded from 64.62.201.15 on Sat, 29 Mar 2014 03:55:20 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

around theworld; by en years of age from gaging them ina conversation about issues were importantto them.The exhibition that sought toconnect them, facilitatetheir inter action, and inspire them to act on theirbe liefsand passions. The exhibition included visual art,writing,and videos. Another goal of the exhibitionwas to build a global audi ence. During the first four months, the goal was to attract 250,000 hits to the site. The museum exceeded it goal by an additional to the decision to ex hits. This led 350,000 tend the exhibition.The catalogue sold out within the first threemonths of the launch of a sec the on-line exhibition, thus triggering ond printing. There were more than a mil lion on-line participants representing 221
countries.

The museum engaged a consultant to determinewhether members of their on-line to the issues community responded high lighted in the exhibition.More than 50% of the responding visitors took action in their personal lives or took civic action. 71% of the visitors also found that they thought about social justice issues after differently with the site. engaging The role of thecommunity. The museum offers linksto27 international organizations, 5 national, and 19 local organizations. Am nesty International'scampaign Make Some Noise to End Violence Against Women proved to be complimentary and informa tive tomuseum staff working on Imagining was an Ourselves. Amnesty International partner for themuseum and an important organization thatvisitors concerned about violence could work with. ending intimate course the of the exhibition visi During tors could download guides that provided themwith templates forholding informative gather meetings in theirhomes or favorite ing places to discuss specific topics. The themes of the guides were Love, Money, Culture and Conflict, and The Future. The museum's hope is that visitors will learn about issues, engage inconversations, vol unteer to work with partner organizations and/or donate money to support a cause. The role of the artists. The museum artists to include in itsexhibitions identifies 10 Claudine .Brown

by posing questions thatartists working in a varietyof displines respond to. The cail for submissions process is open and attracts artists fromaround theworld. Participating artists reach wider audiences, gain greater confidence, and recognize that theirvoices are powerful.Artistswrite statements about their work thatare also included on the site. The process has been a fruitful one, which themuseum will use forfuture exhibitions. The museum has developed long-term relationshipswith itsartists, and the artists have actively engaged ingenerating an au dience forthemuseum. They are speakers at international events and public programs. Some have acted as co-curators, and oth ers have created exhibitions in theirhome communities thataddress the issues of the on-line exhibition. The museum is creating a social net site.All artistsmay working component to its create a profileand their space may include additional examples of their work and writ They will have the ability to create their ings.
own communities on-line.

Lessons learned. The International is blazing new trails. Women's Museum of history forthem However, there's not a lot to benefit from, and thework is fraught with risk.Securing resources is a challenge for an institutionthat is unusual both in the media world and in the traditionalmuse um world. Getting the work launched and keeping up with rapidlychanging technol
ogy are concerns. This museum must com

municate the viabilityand appropriateness of a museum without walls that reaches internationalaudiences every day. This is also a museum that is about change. The must always be prepared to board and staff must be prepared to deal and they change with global change. The museum's on-line exhibitions have been more successful than any of itsstaff imagined. Ithas made themission a reality and the programs are leading to change. The museum has already touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. They have inspired,engaged, and effectedwom en throughout theworld.

This content downloaded from 64.62.201.15 on Sat, 29 Mar 2014 03:55:20 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

Ron Chew: Wing Luke Asian American Museum The role of the museum in society. The mission of theWing Luke Asian Museum in Seattle is toengage Asian Pacific Ameri can communities and the public inexplor ing issues related to the culture, art, and historyof Asian Pacific Americans. Seven teen years ago, when Ron Chew became Director of the museum, therewere very fewAsian Pacific American museum pro fessionals. Chew hired activists engaged in educators, and community issues, frontline artistswho were activists. He structuredpo sitions around projects. Inaddition, consul tantsand freelance professionals designed and constructed the exhibits, conducted and wrote texts. interviews, As funding for themuseum's programs increased, additional staffmembers were hired; and as themuseum grew,Chew con tinued to look for nontraditionalmuseum staffwith differentskill sets. He was less interested in hiring subject-matter experts with museum backgrounds. He believed that themuseum's community-based exhi bition process could be bettermanaged by individuals with experience working incom munities and other collaborative settings. who had worked on creating so Individuals cial change and elders who could serve as anchors were valued team members. This process, from its inception,was intergen erational, and each project involved large networks of stakeholders. Scholars and professionals served as advisors. Since thework of themuseum was dif ferentfromapproaches of most traditional was necessary toapproach the museums, it work with a reflectiveattitude. Aftermeet ingsand post-exhibitions, thestaffanalyzed the process and the product.They wanted to knowwhat did or didn'twork. There were concerned with the attitudes of theircom munity partners. Did they feel good about theprocess and did they feel that their opin ionswere valued? Chew ismost proud of the growth and development of themuseum's staff. Many came to the institution were very when they

young. The salaries were lowand thework was demanding. Yet theystayed and made a commitment to thework and the commu nity. Many of them now have positions of leadership in the museum. Chew believes thathaving a clear mission and hiring indi viduals who are aligned with thatmission museum overtime. He has strengthened the willmodel thebehaviors believes thata staff of the institution'sleaders and ifthose be haviors support the stated values, then an will be able to keep itsstaff.He institution paraphrased a quote thathe believes cap tures his thinking; "You either change or pay more fortheprocess of staying the same." AtWing Luke, staffmembers move up the ladder and assume greater respon sibilityover time.The institution supports

professional development and mentorship as an institutional value. After almost two decades, young people who came to the museum as students are now training and a new of leaders. crop mentoring young The role of thecommunity. The physical of the International infrastructure District in Seattle is deteriorating.The community is dealing with a growing population of home less persons, victimsof drug abuse, elderly people trapped inpoverty and undirected youth.The new museum facilityis located in the InternationalDistrict and itbridges twomulti-layered complex communities. a number The community has identified of key issues of concern. The firstisan is sue of identity. While earlier generations had strong ethnic and cultural identities, the younger generation is dealing with is sues of greater complexity. There are more children of mixed ancestry as well as a large number of Asian adoptees who have been raised by Euro-American families. Many of these youth don't know where to place themselves. There are also concerns about economic polarization. Seattle has itsshare of Asian Pacific Americans who work low-wage jobs and are livingina cycle of poverty. Concur there are also wealthy Asian Pacific rently, American families livingingated communi ties.Though this isa countryof immigrants, the economic polarization also gives rise to
Museum, Communities, and Artists 11

This content downloaded from 64.62.201.15 on Sat, 29 Mar 2014 03:55:20 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

tensions between recent immigrantsand those families thathave been in the United States fortwoormore generations. The mu seum has worked to keep a dialogue go ingand to educate itsaudiences about the plightof immigrants. This is also a community of people? especially thosewho are Southeast Asian? who are fearfulof becoming victims of a post-9/11 backlash. They are concerned about threats to theircivil liberties. The starting point for the museum's unique relationshipwith itscommunitywas thedevelopment process fortheJapanese American Internmentexhibition in 1993. The museum's goal was not to collect, but to communicate. The staffposed questions so that theycould identify hot-button issues. with worked the They community to identify a theme, and through a series of commu nity dialogues the community helped the staff to shape the exhibits and programs. While the first meeting began with 10 to 12 community participants. The group was constantly changing. People brought fam members and friends, and theywould ily recommend others as resources. The pro cess encouraged multiple points of view, and conversations were richand textured. Key players were interviewedand themu seum established itsoral historycollection. By the time the exhibition was installed, more than 100 people of diverse ages and backgrounds had participated in the pro cess. Although themuseum does not have standing committees, communitymembers have returnedand participated on other ex hibitionplanning committees. The museum has also partnered with a variety of service organizations in the neighborhood. Museum staffvolunteerwith communityorganizations and serve on their boards. Public service and community ac tionare attributes thatare considered when new staff members are hired.A person who a meeting becomes can keep theircool if contentious or someone who can bridge values is considered a valuable asset at this institution. The role of the artists. Since themuse um's inception,artists have played a role in 12 Claudine .Brown

every aspect of themuseum's work. There are artists on the Board of Directors and they have always been on the staff.Chew acknowledges that artists bring a broad range of expertise. They serve on advisory committees and are often instrumental in While visual terms. translatingdialogue into some see theircontributionsolely as mak ers of art, others offerthemuseum creative solutions to a variety of strategic and de sign challenges. During itsearly years, themuseum col art and theworks of artists lectedAsian folk with linksto thePacific Northwest. When the museum first created itsprocess fordevel many oping exhibitionswith the community, of the individuals who participatedwere art ists.These individuals have been involved with thedevelopment of all of themuseum's exhibitions, including its history exhibits. The museum is currentlyfocusingon build Asian-American art collection. ing its Museum staff learned that just as com munitymembers needed a forumto tellsto were rarelyheard, Asian-American ries that artists needed a forumforshowing images were rarelyseen. At the that Wing Luke Mu seum, artists are stakeholders, storytellers, and workers. Members of the community come to know working artists who partici pate in themuseums planning processes. They come to the artists' gallery programs work both within and out and support their side of themuseum. The new museum facility will have gal leryspace thatwill be specifically dedicat ed forart exhibitions. The museum's staff looks forward to collecting works by Asian Pacific Americans and adding to itsexist ingholdings. Lessons learned. The leaders and staff of ethnic and community-based museums are constantly considering theirobligations to theirhome communitieswhile simultane ously considering how they can effectively serve a more diverse constituency. Most understand that they play a role in diver sifying the fieldand are investing in train ing staffwith the knowledge that some of members will take theirskills and theirstaff They also experience to other institutions.

This content downloaded from 64.62.201.15 on Sat, 29 Mar 2014 03:55:20 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

understand that their programming may other communities and have resonance for are constantly attempting to identify they these links. However, serving as a training means thatstaffdevel ground forthe field opment must be a strong value within the and this type of intense training institution, can be costly. Leaders worry that they may be pushed off themap, as older museums with better resources are encouraged to do more diverse programming. Though theWing Luke Asian Museum has realized great success with its approach to communityengagement, Chew believes that theymust remain vigilant.They must continue to look beyond the boundaries iftheyare to be creative and imaginative. They must constantly ask:What do we col lect,and why? How much do we borrow as opposed to collecting?What isa good bal ance between the collecting of oral histo ries and thecollecting of artifacts?How can new technology advance our work? What voices have we become comfortable with, and what voices are underrepresented in our work? The museum's greatest achievements are probably also its greatest long-term challenges. The first is nurturinggenera tions of Asian-American museum profes sionals who willwork to transformthe field. The museum has also been served well by its community engagement model. How ever, changing demographics, economics, and public policy can create new commu nitychallenges. Each successive genera tionofmuseum professionals must be will comfortzone and take on ing to leave their community issues that test them and force them to grow. Conclusion The Wing Luke Asian Museum, theNation al Museum of Mexican Art, and the Inter nationalWomen's Museum all view artists as valued members of theircommunities. The beauty of these models is that they represent evolutionary practices that af firm each institution's mission and values.

view artists as thinking, and creative partners who feeling,strategic have the ability to help them realize their goals. They create opportunities forartists to understand the role of the museum in society and they help the public to under stand the special gifts and skills that art ists bring to the table. These institutions do not view artists as separate from their but as integral members of their institutions, staffsand communities. They view themas visionaries, planners, designers, keepers of memory, and sources of inspiration. They also see themas heroes and heroines, and awesomely gifted neighbors, leaders, and friends. do not of Though these institutions ferus templates for museums' and artists' partnerships, theydo suggest thatnew con versations between artists and museums can lead tomore synergistic relationships. These museums References About Creative Capital. Creative Capitai Foun March 12,2008 from dation,Retrieved http://
www.creative-capital.org/about/index.html Maria Rosario Jackson, Kabwasa-Green, enson, Herranz, J., Ferryman, F., Sw

et al. (2003). Investing inCreativity: A Study

of the Support of U.S. Artists. The Urban In .html www.urban.org/publicaations/411311 Michael Kimmelman, Art Review: A Black World

K., Atlas, C,

Retrieved March 10, 2008 from stitute, http://

of Ins and Outs. The New York Times, April 26,

2002

Buitr?n, M. (2007, October 27). In Conversation with Karin Higa at the Japanese National Mu seum American, Retrieved March 10, 2008 from http://imoralist.blogspot.eom/2007/10/in conversation-with-karin-higa-at.html

Beijing Declaration and Platform forAction,

Fourth World Conference

tember1995.University ofMinnesotaHuman RetrievedAugust 19, 2008 Rights Library.

from http://www1 .umn.edu/humanrts/instree/ e5dplw.htm

on Women,

15 Sep

this ar Correspondence concerning . ticle should be addressed to Claudine Arts and Culture Nathan Brown, Program, Cummings Foundation, Claudine.brown?
nathancummings.org.

Museum,

Communities,

and Artists

13

This content downloaded from 64.62.201.15 on Sat, 29 Mar 2014 03:55:20 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions