Hello Beautiful People,
From the title you are probably wondering what is this about. Well when I first heard about it, I was thinking the same thing. Monday, I was on Facebook scrolling on my phone seeing what was happening, or if I missed any birthdays. And I paused at this huge discussion about a recent article published from the New York Post titled, “Museum Slammed After Hiring White Curator.”
WikiCommons
“The Brooklyn Museum appointed last month Kristen Windmuller-Luna, as the Sills Family Consulting Curator, African Art. She has a Ph.D. in African art history from Princeton University, lectures in Columbia University’s department of art history and archaeology, and once worked as an educator for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she was responsible for adult and college gallery tours in the African galleries.” Dr. Windmuller-Lana is highly qualified for the position and came highly regarded.
The Museum’s Press Release details what she will be doing in her position.
“Windmuller-Luna will assess and rethink the Brooklyn Museum’s extensive holdings of African art, which is comprised of more than 6,000 objects, and organize an innovative, freshly conceived temporary installation showcasing the breadth and depth of the collection. Working with the curatorial team, she will focus on creating a visual dialogue between the African art collection and other significant works within the Museum’s holdings. She will also help develop dynamic opportunities for educational programming.”
The article said that the black community was outraged because the museum hired a white woman to the position of curator of its African art collection. Specifically, the activist group, Decolonize This Place wrote an open letter to the Brooklyn Museum of of its “tone-deaf decision” to hire Dr. Windmuller-Luna. “The hue and cry over this hire has brought to light a major disconnect between the governance of the museum and the communities of Brooklyn whom the institution is obliged to serve.”
On Facebook, the debate was ranging from disappointment to support. Some questions being asked: How can a white woman be a Curator of African Art? Was there no qualified black person for the position? To the opposite side of the spectrum: What’s wrong with a white person in this job if he/she is qualified to do the job? Why should being white instantly disqualify this position? Why are curatorial positions not more diverse? What can be done to change this?
This tweet really put a heavy shadow on the Brooklyn Museum’s decision.
BETTER HEADLINE: “Brooklyn Museum Welcomes Two New Cultural Colonizers for African Art and Photography”
Seriously, @brooklynmuseum? There goes the neighborhood for good. https://t.co/Ssdt4FUofI
— Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) March 27, 2018
After the uproar, the Brooklyn Museum defended its decision on choosing Dr. Windemuller-Luna for the position of African Curator, as quoted from the New York Times.
“Dr. Pasternak, Director of the Brooklyn Museum continues to stand by the hiring of Dr. Windmuller-Luna. She said, “We are thrilled to welcome Drew and Kristen to our fantastic curatorial team during this period of great momentum as we expand exhibitions, public programs, and educational reach,” said Anne Pasternak, Shelby White and Leon Levy Director.
We have to also look at the fact that not only African-Americans and African people study African art. There is not much diversity in this field. A 2015 Mellon Report states that 84% of Art museum curatorial positions are held by non-Hispanic whites.
My two cent on the @BrooklynMuseum hires: Museum appoints white Woman as African art curator, sparks outrage and questions of race in the art world https://t.co/GpRvexlQzq #BrooklynMuseum #AfricanArt #Diversity
— Steven Nelson (@snelsonus) March 29, 2018
Opening my Eyes
You may be wondering why this topic is so important to me that I am writing about it on my blog. Well, I myself am a museum professional and have had curatorial experience in the past. I first learned about museum career opportunities from my college advisor. She knew that I was interested in textiles and fashion and that I didn’t want to pursue retail, with my emphasis being Fashion Merchandising. She told me about the museum field and set up a meeting for me to meet with the textile curator at the local history museum. I ended up completing two internships and working a summer job with the museum. I gained a wealth of knowledge from those internships that I never thought I was able to get because I didn’t know it was available to me. The hands-on experience inspired me to learn more about what the museum field had to offer.
Today, I have a full-time position in a museum and work in the administrative side.
I believe that Parents and Teachers bringing children of all ethnicities to museums is an important way for them to have the freedom to learn and ask questions. Children can become interested in a subject he/she may not have considered before. Also, museum professionals play a part by engaging the students in conversations; whether it be programs or events, and showing them what a museum professional does from day to day. This can be an idea for a career or a college internship in the future.
How do you feel about the Brooklyn Museum hiring Dr. Windmuller-Luna as the Curator of African Art? Do you support them or think they should of went a different direction?
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