WALK WALK FASHION BABY

EXHIBITION REVIEWS

BY: MADDY HOWARD

Fashion and art have strutted into the Bata Shoe Museum with the Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes. The exhibition offers a 45-year retrospective of Manolo Blahnik, one of the most influential figures within the fashion industry. This exhibition displays the blurring of boundaries between art and fashion by showcasing over 200 of his favourite shoes and 80 original drawings.

Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes Entrance. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

The exhibition, curated by Cristina Carrillo de Albornoz, began its exclusive tour in Milan in 2017 at the Palazzo Morando, from there travelling to Saint Petersburg, Prague and Madrid. Toronto is the final, and only North American stop for this innovative and spellbinding exhibition. 

Manolo Blahnik's career spans over 40 years, with his inventiveness and artisanship capturing the attention of the fashion industry. Blahnik started his career as a set designer, but by 1971, he relocated to London to focus on shoemaking. His career blossomed in 1972, when Ossie Clark (the most famous designer in London) used his shoes. A year later, he opened his first shop in Chelsea. His shoes continue to be made by hand, which produces little over one hundred pairs a day.

These feats of fashion have graced the feet of many celebrities over the years. Some fans of Blahnik's include Rihanna, Sarah Jessica Parker (and her Sex and the City character, Carrie Bradshaw), Michelle Obama, Anna Wintour, and Princess Diana. Blahnik also created the footwear for the film Marie Antoinette, directed by Sofia Coppola. Several of the shoes from the film are on display in the exhibition.

Fancy Footwear. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

The exhibition is divided into sections based on Blahnik's inspiration. Visitors are able to see the themes and ideas that shaped Blahnik's artistic vision over his career. These inspirations include fantasy, art and architecture, geography, botany, courtiers, and stylish influencers, all of which have come to life in his footwear. The sections help guide the visitors but there is no direct path to follow. Visitors have freedom to engage with these fancy pieces of footwear in any way they choose.

Botany Inspiration. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Exhibition Interior. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

There are several aspects of this exhibition that work well to engage and intrigue the visitors. The first is the inclusion of the conceptual drawings of the footwear. The comparisons between the drawings and the finished product allows visitors to see how the design evolved from conception to completion. It is interesting and exciting to look at these incredible two-dimensional designs and see them recreated into an actual, physical object. To think about the detail and intricacy it takes to create such pieces of art truly boggles the mind. 

From Concept to Reality. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Conceptual designs. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

It should also be noted that there is not a lot of text in the exhibition. The only text is the introduction at the beginning and brief explanations at the beginning of each section. The labels for the shoes only include the name of the shoe and the year. For some shoes, there is one sentence to indicate where inspiration came from or if a notable individual wore them. This was an appreciated aspect as it allowed the shoes to speak for themselves.

Example of Labels. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Shoe Inspired by Alexander the Great. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Finally, visitors are treated to a section inspired by Blahnik's workshop. There they can learn more about the technical aspects of Blahnik and his creative genius. This section works well to educate visitors about the astounding detail and work that goes into every shoe. It adds another layer to understanding how the pieces of art are given life, instead of just seeing the beginning and the end. A video screen also plays a short video of Blahnik discussing his work and giving advice to visitors.

Blahnik's Workshop. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Putting Together the Perfect Shoe. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes brings art and fashion together and truly exemplifies the artistic nature of shoes. It also displays Blahnik's genius and innovation in a fun and engaging way, especially by allowing the shoes to speak for themselves.

The exhibition opened May 16, 2018 and runs until January 6, 2019, so strut over to the Bata Shoe Museum to kickback with some spectacular shoes.

Source.

HARVEST THE GOOD TIMES: WHAT'S HAPPENING WEDNESDAYS NOVEMBER EDITION

WHAT'S HAPPENING WEDNESDAYS

BY: KELLY MANIKOTH

Hello friends, and welcome to the November edition of What’s Happening Wednesdays! Traditionally, November is the time for harvest, where we reap the goods that were sown during the summer months. After the celebrations of Thanksgiving and Halloween, however, I usually enter hibernation mode. I stay put at home as I grapple with the influx of major papers, projects and presentations, all while preparing for the impending holiday season in December. 

This year, I want to embrace the traditional notion of November, and reap the benefits of living and studying in Toronto.We have yet to face winter’s frigid bite, so the following events will help us take advantage of this warm and sunny autumn. 

1. The Toronto Chocolate Festival  

Looks like heaven to me. Source.

Start November on a sweet note with a month-long – yes – a MONTH LONG festival devoted to chocolate. The Toronto Chocolate Festival , which first took place in 2005, began as a ten-day festival, and eventually turned into a month-long extravaganza. There are multiple venues that hold chocolate-centered events, such as Chocolate Afternoon Tea and the ChocOlympics , with many taking place at the Eglinton Grand. Click here to acquire “Discovery Passport Coupons”, which allow you to try out delicacies from participating pastry shops and chocolatiers. Learn about chocolate, from cocoa to creation, while sampling treats the entire day.

A festival highlight is the Toronto Luxury Chocolate Show, held at the Chocolate Salons in the Toronto Reference Library. A variety of chocolatiers, chocolate artisans and pastry chefs will have samples of their products and special deals for the holiday season. The Salon also features a Chocolate Makers demo stage and draws for chocolate-themed prizes. 

The Toronto Luxury Chocolate Show:
When: Saturday, November 4th: 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm, Sunday, November 5th: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Where: Toronto Reference Library, 689 Yonge Street
Cost: $20 tickets, which can be purchased online 

The Toronto Chocolate Festival takes place the entire month of November. To learn about all the events featured this year, visit torontochocolatefestival.com 

2. November Events at the Bata Shoe Museum

Check out some of the great initiatives the Bata Shoe Museum has for the month of November:

Source.

The Warm the Sole Sock Drive

Every year the Bata Shoe Museum throws an annual sock drive, Warm the Sole. Socks are one of least donated items in clothing drives, yet one of the most needed items in shelters, especially as the weather gets colder. Help diminish this need by bringing a new pair of unworn socks to the Bata Shoe Museum’s drive, which takes place throughout the whole month of November. If you bring a pair on Saturday or Sunday, you can visit the museum free that day! There will also be sock-themed crafts for kids throughout the month. For more information, click here.

When: November 1-30

Where: Bata Shoe Museum

327 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M5S 1W7

Cost: Admission to the gallery is free on Saturday and Sunday with a sock donation

National Film Board Screening at the Bata Shoe Museum: The Road Forward
As part of the National Film Board’s Aabiziingwash (Wide Awake): NFB Indigenous Cinema on Tour in partnership with the National Film Board of Canada, the Bata Shoe Museum presents a special screening of The Road Forward, a musical documentary by Marie Clements that examines the relationship of the Indian Nationalism movement in the 1930's with current First Nations activism.

When: November 22, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Cost: Free! Tickets can be reserved by emailing rsvp@batashoemuseum.ca or by calling 416.979.7799 x 444

3. The 95th Annual Royal Agricultural Winter Fair 

The Best of Bovine. Source.

The Royal Agricultural Fair is celebrating its 95th Anniversary this year! Started by a group of farmers in 1922, the fair was an attempt to showcase the finest of Canadian agriculture after the First World War. It's been an annual event ever since, occurring every November in Toronto.The Royal is now the largest combined indoor agricultural fair and international equestrian competition in the world, featuring the best agriculture, local food and animal shows in the country. 

Enjoy The Royal Horse Show, dog shows, culinary competitions, wine tasting, and shopping. This year, The Royal has a special initiative, A Place to Grow. In partnership with the University of Guelph and the Canada 150 Fund, A Place to Grow is an interactive chronological walk through time that celebrates the past, present and future of agriculture and food in Ontario. 

To learn more about the many other vendors, shows and entertainment featured at The Royal, check out royalfair.org 

When: Friday, November 3- 11,  9:00 am – 9:00 pm, Sunday, November 12,  9:00 am – 6:00 pm

Where: Exhibition Place, Toronto, Ontario M6K 3C3

Cost: $16 Youth (4-17), $20 Senior (65+), $27.50 Adult (18-64), $60 Family Pass (2 Adults / 2 Youth)
Senior Mon,Tue,Wed Special $17.00
Adults After 4pm Mon-Thursday $16.00

Tickets can be purchased online here .

4. JAYU's iAM Gallery Opening

Source.

JAYU is a non-profit arts organization that shares human rights stories through the arts, specifically film and photography. One of JAYU’s initiatives is the iAM Program, which provides photography and storytelling workshops to youth in the community. iAM showcases these works in a rotating exhibition, with 100% of the proceeds going back to the youth participants. This year, JAYU has partnered with the The Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, providing workshops to nine youth from the centre. The pieces created from the workshops explore the theme of reconciliation, and will be displayed along with the youth’s stories in the Daniel Spectrum Centre. The opening takes place on Friday, November 3rd, and the show runs until January 10th, 2017. For more information on the iAM program and opening night, click here .

When: Friday, 3 November 2017, 6:30 pm – 11:00 pm

Where: Daniels Spectrum, 2nd Floor, 585 Dundas Street East, Toronto, ON M5A 2B7

Cost: Free

5. Lest We Forget, Remembrance Day in Toronto

Remembrance Day Memorial on the lawn of Manulife on Bloor St. E. Source.

November is a month dedicated to remembrance. It’s a time to reflect on our freedoms, our right to live under a government of our choice, and the many opportunities this nation provides us. On Saturday, November 11th, the City of Toronto will hold ceremonies in different locations, such as Old City Hall, to recognize and honour the contributions made by those who serve and continue to serve. 

The featured ceremony takes place at Queens Park. The ceremony includes a moment of silence and the laying of wreaths. It can also be streamed online here .

For more information on ceremonies near you, visit Ontario Remembers .

Queen's Park Ontario Veterans' Memorial :
When: Saturday, November 11th , 10:45 am - 12:00 pm

Where: Ontario Veterans' Memorial on the front lawn of Queen’s Park, 111 Wellesley Street West, Toronto

6. The Month of Movember!

Movember

It’s Movember! Men around the country grow out their mustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of male health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s suicide. The Movember Foundation is hosting many events around the city that celebrate this important initiative. Here are a few in Toronto to check out: 

Movember fit-a-thon

Hosted by Centennial College, this event is geared towards students. Participants will be challenged during the evening to keep moving to raise money for men's health, supporting Movember Toronto.

When: November, 17th, 6:00 pm – 12:00 am

Where: Athletic and Wellness and Centre, 941 Progress Avenue, Toronto, ON M4S1C4

Cost: Donation Request. More information can be found on donations here

Muaystache: #PushKickCancer

Back Forward Kick Productions presents Muaystache: #PushKickCancer, an amateur event that supports the Movember Foundation. For more information, visit Muay Thai Ontario

When: November 25th, 5:30 pm – 11:00 pm

Where: Artscape Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie St, Toronto, ON M6G 4C7

Cost: $35 Advance tickets
$45 Door tickets
$55 Front row reserved tickets
This is an all ages event. Children ages 5 and under are admitted free.

Best "MO" in "TO"

This is the perfect opportunity to show of your ‘stache at the end of the month! Organized by emerging professionals of Sport and Event Marketing from George Brown College, the event brings awareness to Men’s Mental Health through a Moustache competition, raffle prizes, games, live music, food and drinks, and a barber who will give you a clean-shaven face after the competition. For more information, click here .

When: November 30th, 7:30 pm to 11:00 pm

Where: 588 Richmond St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1Y9

Cost: The organiser has suggested a $5 donation to help them reach their goal.

For more Movember events, visit movember.com

7. Trinity Bellwoods Christmas is Coming Flea Market

Source.

The holidays are nearly upon us! Rather than dealing with the stress of overcrowded malls, support your local shop vendors this year. The Trinity Bellwoods Christmas is Coming Flea Market is a monthly market that takes place in the beautiful and historic Great Hall. With a mission to buy and sell local, the market features 50 Canadian vendors and designers. It’s the perfect opportunity to find unique gifts or pick up a special something for yourself. To learn about the different vendors, check out the Trinity Bellwoods Website for updates!

When: Sunday, November 19, 2017, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

Where: The Great Hall, 1087 Queen St. W.M6J 1H3

Cost: Free entry

8. Mozart's Don Giovanni Fall Major Opera Production at the University of Toronto

Don Giovanni in the Champagne Aria scene by Max Slevgot, 1902. Source.

Tired of heading to the movies as your main entertainment outing? Why not explore a new art form and check out an opera put on by U of T’s Faculty of Music! Mozart’s Don Giovanni, based on the legend of Don Juan, is considered a timeless masterpiece. The production is sung in the original Italian and is conducted by Uri Mayer, Professor and Director of Orchestral Studies at the University of Toronto.

When: Thursday, November 23 – Saturday, November 25th, 7:30 pm. Sunday, November 26th, 2:30 pm

Where: MacMillan Theatre, 80 Queen's Park, Toronto, ON M5S 2C5

Cost: $40 regular admission, $25 senior, $10 student. You can purchase tickets here 

9. ROM Daytime - Meet the Vikings 

Source.

The ROM’s newest show, Vikings – The Exhibition presented by Raymond James Ltd, delves into the myths, stereotypes and legends of the Viking Age. Featuring hundreds of objects and immersive activities, the exhibition also explores Canada’s link to Viking history, showcasing archaeological finds from the East Coast.

On November 30th, John Craig Cipolla, the curator for Vikings: The Exhibition, will hold a special talk that reveals how the exhibition came together, highlighting special artifacts to discuss Viking culture and history. For more information, visit ROM Daytime. Vikings:The Exhibition, runs from November 4th, 2017 – April 2nd, 2018. 

Meet the Vikings Talk
When:Thursday, November 30, 2017, 11:00 am - 1:15 pm
11:00 am - 12:00 pm Lecture in Eaton Theatre
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Coffee, Tea & Treats in Theatre Rotunda
12:30 pm - 1:15 pm Exhibition Visit with Introductory Remarks

Where: Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queens Park, Toronto, ON M5S 2C6
Lecture held in the Eaton Theatre, Level 1B

Cost: Lecture is free with Museum admission. 

Enjoy November just like our little corgi friend! Source.

As a grad student, November is a very hectic time in the semester. However, this year, reap the benefits of your hard work by taking a break and enjoying some of the events taking place in the city, whether that be participating in Movember fundraisers, attending an opera, shopping at markets, or simply savoring some chocolate. If you know of more cool events in the city, feel free to leave a suggestion in the comments section.

Till December, my friends!

MMSt 2017 INTERNSHIPS: PART THREE

INTERNSHIP CHECK-IN

BY: TABITHA CHAN

Part three of Internship Check-In is here. Let's see what our peers are up to!

Today's post features:

Emilie Albert-Toth: The Bata Shoe Museum - Toronto, ON
Erin Canning: Art Gallery of Ontario - Toronto, ON
Samantha Eadie: Doris McCarthy Gallery, U of T Scarborough - Scarborough, ON
Anna Kawecka: Markham Museum - Markham, ON
Jenny Lee: Theatre Museum Canada - Toronto, ON

Describe what a typical day is like for you at your institution. What are some of your main duties and responsibilities?

Emilie: A typical day involves setting up for the tours booked for the day. Depending on the grade level, the program includes a craft activity, a hands-on workshop and a tour of our permanent gallery or First Nations gallery. The craft is introduced through a brief discussion of symbolism and identity; we use a painted clog from Holland to talk to the kids about these ideas. We then ask the kids what symbols they think represent Canada and themselves and have them paint a miniature wooden clog with the symbols they think best represent them. Then, we lead a hands-on workshop where the kids can touch and handle different kinds of shoes from our collection. The program wraps up with a 30-minute tour of either the permanent gallery or the First Nations gallery depending on the curriculum connection. Following the program, I might work the front desk for an hour or so and spend the afternoon being trained in the galleries, learning about the collection in more depth and practice giving tours. My main duties include delivering guided tours, facilitating interactive hands-on workshops, front desk and visitor services, encouraging visitor participation in family programs through children’s craft activities, preparing education and family program materials and resources.

Erin: Currently, I am involved in three projects to do with the expansion of the AGO’s collections information systems: the implementation of the Exhibitions module in TMS [The Museum System]; the addition of a large number of artists to the system; and linking artist Constituent records with Linked Data identifiers such as ULAN (Getty Union List of Artists) and VIAF (Virtual International Authority File) ID numbers. I spend most of my day at my computer, or in the Archives doing research for the Exhibitions project. I don’t really have a “typical day” in terms of how and when I do my work, but each day tends to involve a little research (online and/or in the Archives), data cleaning, running the scripts I have written on the cleaned data – and finessing a script if necessary – and working to write some new programming processes to automate the Linked Data project. The purpose of this is make feasible projects that involve digital data, and that are too large to approach manually.

Samantha: My internship focuses primarily on an archival project at the Doris McCarthy Gallery, specifically the organization of the Cold City fonds. The project is in its earliest stages so my main responsibilities are rehousing the archival material (which is comprised of fourteen boxes) in order to ensure proper storage standards are implemented. Once the material has been assessed and transferred to archivally approved folders, the material is logged in a database which documents all of the important details of the individual records. The database is intended to inform the creation of a finding aid which will assist researchers in the future.

Anna: In the past few weeks I've been working on developing my own exhibit here at the museum. I usually spend my days researching, designing, and editing everything I've been putting together. In terms of main duties and responsibilities, preparing for exhibition development meetings and getting this exhibit finished are top priorities at the moment.

Jenny:  I have a few projects going on at the moment, so a typical day can range from organizing a box of donated theatre programs for the education collection to writing up audience survey data. The museum itself is still under construction, so we do a lot of planning - a favourite project has been mapping through what visitors will think, feel, and do at every stage of the experience so we can anticipate their needs early on. I've also been helping out our affiliate, the Toronto Theatre Database, to get some programs online as they prepare for the Fringe Festival next month.

Say hello to Emilie and The Bata Shoe Museum!

What is something you have learned in your first few weeks of your internship?

Emilie: I’ve learned a lot about the Ontario school curriculum and the ways in which the museum’s educational programming can enhance children’s learning experience through alternative ways of learning including hands-on activities or simply through a change in setting or environment.

Erin: I have really seen in practice how supportive and enthusiastic the museum data community is, and how open people are to helping out their peers, even across institutions and country borders. In particular, for the Linked Data project, I was reaching out to people working in the field that I have never met at institutions across North America, and received nothing but support and offers of assistance.

Samantha: The most important lesson that I have learned in my first few weeks at the gallery is the importance of archival standards. In my first week I was able to spent some time researching archival standards and the archival description process. This early research has informed all of my work and helped me to construct an efficient structure for the logging of the material details. The amount of archival material that is included in these fonds is vast and I have developed a great appreciation for all archivists and the tedious work that they do.

Anna: My internship has been a whirlwind of opportunities! I've learned a ton of practical skills that I can apply to future projects. Trying my hand at the responsibilities of installation and conservation has shown me a few skills I never knew I had, and a few things I know I'll have to practice (curse you, scissor skills!).

Jenny: How grant-writing works! Most grant application websites are labyrinthine, and the information you need is invariably spread out over twelve different pages, so even the research is a bit of a process.

Erin taking a selfie at her work station.

What is something that has surprised you about museums that you did not know before working in a real one?

Emilie: The biggest surprise was finding out that The Bata Shoe Museum, despite being a mid-size institution, actually runs on a very small staff, only about one person per department. I was also surprised at the wide range of educational and public programming that comes out of such a seemingly niche institution, a shoe museum. It’s very impressive.

Erin: Is it bad to say nothing? Over the time of my undergrad, and in the years between the end of it and when I returned for my Masters, I worked in museums in a couple of different provinces, an artist-run centre, an auction house, a commercial gallery, and an artist estate… I feel like those experiences prepared me for what this internship experience would be like, at least in terms of the culture and behind-the-scenes practices of arts institutions and museums.

Samantha: I have worked at a number of museums of varying sizes and with very different scopes and mandates and I think that the thing that has struck me most is the diversity and dynamic nature of Canadian cultural institutions. Although there are particular standards that govern museum work in this country, every institution has a different approach to how they present and preserve their collection, how they engage with visitors and the wider community and how they conserve our history. I think that’s one of the things that makes this field so exciting to be a part of and it certainly makes the work more interesting.

Anna: The community is very close-knit. This goes both ways in terms of the museum and its local community, as well as the museological community. Everything (and everyone) seems so intertwined and although I knew that was true already, I didn't know it was to this extent!

Jenny: The optimum temperature for collections storage rooms is actually quite uncomfortably cold for humans. I think I knew this before, but now I am acutely aware of it.

Samantha hard at work at the Doris McCarthy Gallery

What do you enjoy most about your internship?

Emilie: I really enjoy being with the people I work with. We’re a small group of four students along with our two supervisors who are extremely devoted to providing us with a meaningful experience and teaching us skills that we can apply to our future career. I also really enjoy working with the kids. They’re so smart and funny.

Erin: Getting the opportunity to write implementable script to the systems, and watching it run and do what it is supposed to do! I love the satisfying feeling of seeing a large pile of data become part of a working system, and the kinds of new insights that the influx of information can bring.

Samantha: I really enjoy working independently and being able to directly oversee the progress of a project like this. I think that having the trust of my supervisor and the wider gallery staff is an incredible thing and it has certainly helped to instill a level of confidence in myself and in my work that would not be easily constructed by anything other than practical experience and positive feedback.

Anna: It's a close tie between all the amazing things I've been able to take part in (installations, archival research, conservation, etc.) and having such a great team to work with. I literally could not have chosen a better internship.

Jenny: I get to do a lot of research (through reading museum journals and just looking at other museums' websites and blogs to see what they do and if it works) which is just about my favourite thing to do.

Anna interning at the Markham Museum.

How has being in your specific institution changed or affirmed what you want to do in your future career?

Emilie: I definitely went into the whole internship experience not knowing exactly what I wanted to be doing but I’ve always been really interested in the museum’s role as an educational institution and one that is engaged in society and its community, so I think the internship in the education department has been a really excellent fit and a career path that I will likely pursue. Based on the size of the Bata Shoe Museum and the familiarity that comes with a smaller staff, I definitely would want to work at a small institution. I wasn’t sure what exactly to expect from an education department at a museum, let alone a shoe museum, but leading up to the start of my internship, my supervisors outlined their program and explained how they developed their programs to connect directly to the school curriculum in their own unique way.

Erin: This internship experience has really highlighted for me, how few tools currently exist to support this bigger-picture version of museum data work, especially for people who are less technologically inclined. In order to make this kind of work feasible for institutions, we need to both hire people with the skills, and develop products that are accessible for those without the skills and educational background. There is a lot that the perspective of museum professionals can bring to these discussions, which is getting left out if we do not support the industry as a whole, as opposed to only select individuals working within it. I would be interested in continuing to do this kind of work, and then leveraging that experience to support software development in this area, so that museum informatics companies can support the wide breadth of information work that is occurring in the industry, beyond the day-to-day cataloguing and constituent-management needs.

Samantha: I think that this position has helped to confirm that my career path is in collections management. I enjoy working with the physical material and analyzing it for important details and it’s so incredible to see how all of the bits and pieces of the fonds fit together in order to construct a wider narrative. Additionally, interning at a contemporary art gallery for a second summer has also confirmed my desire to work within an institution dedicated to the arts as I think that they are important spaces for dialogue and engagement.

Anna: I can definitely see myself working in a curatorial role more than ever. It's something that has been on my radar since I started the program, but now that I've gotten some first-hand experience, I'd love to continue down the same path. I've also come to appreciate the environment of a smaller institution. I really like the ways they interact with their community/audience.

Jenny: It's opened me up to aspects of education, programming, and visitor services, which wasn't something I had given a lot of thought to previously.

Jenny with a mini theatre at Theatre Museum Canada!

What’s your passion?

Emilie: I would say my passion is working with the community to increase the accessibility of art and public programs and I’ve found that working with children in the education department is a very mutually fulfilling way of doing that.

Erin: My passion is data of all kinds about visual arts institutions – collections data, visitor experience data, and (what interests me most) the intersection between the two, i.e. affective metadata. I love to find the patterns and potential cause-effect relationships that can be gleaned from large amounts of information, that are otherwise hidden from the ground-level view. If you have not yet had me chatter at you about affective metadata, trust me when I say you will, as I will (hopefully) be spending the next year writing my thesis on the subject.

Samantha: What I find most interesting about museum work and, therefore, what I am most passionate about, are the stories that are contained within all cultural material. There is so much that can be learned through the study and documentation of objects and being able to share that with museum audiences and the wider community is an incredible thing. I’m looking forward to working more with collections in order to discover our country’s diverse narratives.

Anna: Oh man, that's a heavy question. I think I can safely say that I have a real passion in artefact conservation. I helped restore a cast iron stove for one of the newly unveiled exhibits and it has definitely been one of the highlights of this internship. There's a certain feeling of pride attached to making an artefact live up to its potential.

Jenny: I have a bee in my proverbial bonnet about accessibility in museums - from physical accessibility to programming for visitors with disabilities.

Thank you Emilie, Erin, Samantha, Anna and Jenny for sharing honestly about your experiences and taking the time to participate in this interview. See you in two weeks for Part Four!