I have just returned from a fabulous trip where I was lucky enough to attend Museums & Galleries NSW conference- Can you handle it?. I was there to learn first and foremost about the importance & requirements for preparing a "disaster plan" but...what really inspired me and has sent me home with a renewed and refreshed view on my own creative journey was a particular speech called- The elephant in the room by Helen Whitty.
Helen Whitty from the Powerhouse Museum spoke wonderfully about the 'spirit of the object' using the Powerhouse Museums Graphite Elephant, a small carved elephant which heralds from the late 19th century in Ceylon.
Among the many wonderful and engaging topics Helen touched on during her presentation what I loved most was her discussions on the importance of objects not just for their significance but for the social history that unfolds around them or even more importantly that is created around them.
With those thoughts lingering in the back of my mind I spent the most delightful part of my trip with two gorgeous friends surrounded by amazing objects, clothes & art...we also revisited many of my old haunts where I have handed over many a pay check or squealed in delight at finding a bargain or the ultimate piece to add to my collection.
I spent the plane ride home thinking about all the objects I own and how they have and will continue to create my own social history and what a terrible state of storage they are in! Which is highly embarrassing really considering I am completing my curatorial studies and spend my days at work surrounded by books on conservation.
So my project is to catalogue & conserve my collections and apply my skills to all the beautiful objects that make up my life.
Before I begin I am going to start a list of what I will need before the fun of getting out the objects begins...
