Initial Brainstorming Meeting Re: Public Humanities Group Project6 October 2009
Present: Krystal, Sara E., Caitlin, Kaitlynne, Elena, Meghan, Adrian, Janet,Amy A., Bess, Anna, Lucia, Erin; Katheryn, ShanaNext meeting to finalize: Oct. 13, 8p, JNBCWe agreed to move forward with the one major idea that came out of thismeeting, and we spent the time breaking it down as a project and tinkeringwith how it would work thematically.
Developing Food on the Move:
Caitlin and Kaitlynne both object to the project being an exhibition. Janet (proposes contributing to an exhibition at Johnson + Wales).Adrian mentions that, though this is an exhibition, there would be lots of non-exhibition related work associated with it. People who are interested intaking on projects that are not exhibitions can work on public programs. Besssees that these could include music, food, storytelling
everything thatwent on in a tavern. Janet is planning to do her practicum at J+W with Richard Guttman on whatshe hopes will become a part of the group PH project. There is no existinginterpretation on the tap room from the tavern. J+W has an exhibit outline.We could have free rein with interpretation in that space and on the adjacentwall space. Janet also believes that we would have latitude to developwhatever themes we use into other spaces in the museum. The tap room is from 1833. J+W acquired it from Mystic Seaport, whichsaved it from destruction. Some possibilities for interpretation inside the taproom are:-looking @ stagecoach stops in general-looking at this particular tavern from NH (J+W has v. little info,though they do have photos from 1930s)-interpretation of materials, ex. the faux wood grain-interpretation of the history of food and drink There is agreement that people would like to go off campus.In working with J+W, we need to remember their target audience is theuniversity’s students.Elena wants to weave in some “choose your own adventure” type element.
This might take place through tracked (color coded) labels or even “roads”delineated on the floor or in some other place via color. The tracks couldwork for broad interests (kids, food and drink, social history, travelnarratives) or involve the visitor taking on a character as he eats and drinkshis way through time on his travels (traveling salesman, trucker, hitchhiker,etc.). This could extend to the public programs as well.Caitlin provided an overview of different possibilities for organizing theproject. She went over some past PH projects (Fox Point, Birds and Bees).Sara broadens the topic of the project as a whole to “Food On the Move” –the food people eat when traveling / on the road / on road trips (menus,dishware, social trends – stagecoach, car, airfare, boat). The project wouldtake the tavern as its point of departure spatially and historically, as oneelement within the theme of food on the move. The project would moveforward in time and around other spaces in the museum:
o
tavern
o
bar
o
dinerKaitlynne sees that the wall space adjacent to the tavern could be used todevelop a timeline that would use important collections of the museum, suchas the steamship menus. Anna sees opportunities to develop a space withinthe tap room for kids to play.Erin:Food on the move makes it something we can relate to – our nationalfoodways
are
on the move.In thinking about the portion of the project that is not an exhibition, Krystalwants to involve RIPTA and Caitlin agrees. The project must reach beyond J+W students, must be accessible in Providence. Perhaps there would be acapstone event in Kennedy Plaza?
We need to contact Deb Abrhamsonabout that.In thinking about the organization of working groups Bess wonders if weshouldbreak into groups to manage the project by moment in time or by topicacross time. We’ll sort out roles at the next meeting.
Money
So far, J+W has made no financial commitment to the project. We plan todiscover whether their exhibition budget would finance some of the signageand interpretation within the museum, leaving the anticipated funding fromthe JNBC ($10,000) to finance the public programming.
of 00
Brainstorming October 6
144 Reads
Info and Rating
| Category: | Uncategorized. |
| Rating: | |
| Upload Date: | 11/21/2009 |
| Copyright: | Attribution Non-commercial |
| Tags: |
Leave a Comment