LETTER FROM THE CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

  Letter from the Editors | Molly Gosewich and Jefimija Vujcic

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Hello Musings readers! Editor-in-Chiefs (Molly and Mia) sat down to chat about our respective summers and what we’re looking forward to this school year.

MOLLY: How was your summer, Mia?

MIA: Very busy, but very good! From May to June, I completed the summer course MSL2303H: ‘Difficult’ Heritages and Precarious Times with Prof. Shiralee Hudson Hill. Despite the heavy nature of the topics we were covering (especially the ones which were simultaneously hitting front-page news), I feel much better equipped to tackle these issues with care and accuracy in my research and work. 

Since June, I have been working at the Ontario Heritage Trust as an archaeology collections technician. I began my internship working from home, reviewing and editing records for collections which will be going online very soon! Later on, I also got a chance to visit some of the Trust’s sites, to work in the lab, and even at a fieldwork site – processing artefacts and cataloguing associated documentation. 

Finally, I wrapped up co-curating an exhibit at the Oshawa Museum (Leaving Home, Finding Home in Oshawa: Displaced Persons and Stories of Immigration), which I started working on over three years ago! 

And what did you get up to?

Ashbridge Estate (a property of the Ontario Heritage Trust).
Photo courtesy of Jefimija Vujcic.

MOLLY: That sounds great. I was also quite busy... it was quite the summer – I worked as a Research Assistant with Dr. Anna Shternshis on projects relating to Jewry in Soviet Russia and Central Asia. I learned a lot about the Jewish presence in specific places like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Romania, and Ukraine. I’ll definitely have to write an article about it...

I also completed my German Level A1, took an elective course called Managing AudioVisual Material, volunteered at the Ontario Jewish Archives, and finally submitted my thesis proposal. I hear you also submitted yours. What was like that?

MIA: Looking forward to reading that article! Yes I did, back at the end of May; so much has happened since then that I almost forgot! It was definitely exciting to finally pass that milestone.

MOLLY: And work aside, how was your summer? Anything fun?

MIA: Nothing terribly exciting! I finally went to the theatre again – I watched R + J, a production of Romeo and Juliet, at the Stratford Festival. Getting to see the Andy Warhol exhibit at the AGO was another highlight! I also chipped away at my current novel writing project and started learning a bit of Italian for fun. 

What about you? 

MOLLY: I hung out a lot in parks and tried to soak up the sunshine, I did a little day-trip to Thornbury which was LOVELY and the house where we stayed was absolutely bursting with Canadian art... and of course, I started writing for Musings! It has been great so far, I get to explore my favourite topics. My most recent article is on Marc Chagall and the School of Paris exhibition that is wrapping up at the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire du Judaïsme in Paris. He is one of my favourite artists and the mahJ is one of my favourite museums ever so it just felt right.

MIA: I’m also excited to get writing for my column Museum Mysteries again! What else are you looking forward to this year?

MOLLY: OMG... getting into writing our theses will be fun. I’ll (fingers crossed) be going to Germany in March to do some archival research so I seriously can’t wait for that. And of course, being able to actually be on campus is quite nice – I’m loving the Inforum. Who can forget seeing my cohort IRL. Happy to be back!

MIA: Yes, totally agree, can’t wait to get started on writing itself! So far this year, I’ve also been loving popping into the library to get some work done, just like old times. I’m also looking forward to finally meeting everyone in person and to exploring museums together (with people who just 'get' it!).

SO LONG, FAREWELL, AU REVOIR: GOODBYE LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

  Letter from the Editors | Jaime Meier and Erika Serodio

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Today is the last day of mine and Erika’s reign as Editors-in-Chiefs and while we are sad to bid everyone adieu, we are excited to look back at the articles created by our talented team of writers. Over the past year we had 16 fantastic permanent and guest writers to cover a huge variety of museum topics, from collections to MMSt classes. If you weren’t able to catch all of our publications, we have made a list of highlights. 

We appreciate your ongoing support! | Courtesy of Jaime Meier

For Collections Corner, Martin interviewed recent CDP grad, Karen Macke, to discuss her collections related insights and her hugely popular Facebook group that focuses on collections. 

Madison brought fresh perspectives to the Heritage Moments column with her article on preserving historic scents and their important place as intangible heritage. 

With the pandemic changing how we view exhibitions, Rachel brought us comforting Exhibition Reviews, such as the “Three-Thirty” show at the Doris McCarthy Gallery, and how cultural institutions are seeking to adapt rather than cease creation. 

Brooke made our Research Column better than ever with her in-depth series on critical conversations happening in museum and the rights of museum workers that have been challenged by “neoliberal economic strategies” and ongoing resistance from museum workers. 

For Museum Innovations, Sara brought us examples of how the cultural sector has continued to engage communities on new platforms like Twitch and Tiktok. 

Annabelle highlighted the Jewish community's many accomplishments through Walk of Fame, including the crucial role of Frieda Schiff Warburg in the creation of the Jewish Museum in New York City, one of the first and oldest to focus on Jewish history. 

For Internship Check-in, Annie brought us the inside scope on working in cultural institutions, including Lauren at the Royal Botanical Gardens and Leora at the Robertson Davies Library. 

Caitlin created a new column, Final Project Reflections, to highlight the many accomplishments of students completing their thesis and exhibition projects, including her own and the inspiration behind it. 

For Technology Tuesday, Jaime explored what the future holds for interpretation in museums after the pandemic ends and many of the new approaches significantly aid in accessibility for all visitors. 

Melissa used GLAM Gets Mindful to bring us resources to help in our success and reduce stress, with a very timely one with tips on how to conquer job search anxiety. 

We have been so lucky to have Museum Professionals of Colour contribute a Special Edition each season, with their most recent article highlighting their successes and delivering handcrafted memes. 

The MUSSA President & Co-President also contributed a Special Edition where they gathered and shared student experiences from working in the field and all of our wonderful memories together. 

Natalie is a student like none-other and wrote for two whole columns, Sew What and A Muse Bouche. She delved into her Italian heritage to explore and re-create disappearing pasta forms and also explored the sustainable history of 18th century clothing through fabric reusing - the duality! 

Erika continued to highlight outside-the-box spaces for arts and culture, like Underpass Park, in the Beyond Tradition column.

In Museum Mysteries, Mia has kept us wildly entertained with stories of horror, fictional fantasy, and eerie holiday traditions. 

Helen took us to museums all around the world with Musings Abroad, where she looked at how international museums work with topics like black culinary culture, scents, and women's history. 

Source

It has been a very "online" year for all of us, with museums closed for the majority of our school year. Finding inspiration to write has been challenging and has made the accomplishments of this year's writers even more impressive. We look forward to someday running into each other in museums again, and finally meeting the writers who we've been working with all year but have never met in person. The articles from this year will be remembered as small tokens of resilience. We know it has been anything but easy and we are so very grateful for everyone that's written with us and followed along. 

Signing off,

Jaime & Erika

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS: A SUCCESSFUL SUMMER IN THE FACE OF UNCERTAINTY

Letter from the Editor | Jaime Meier & Erika Serodio

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Hi, hello! Behind the scenes this summer, the two of us — Jaime and Erika — have been editing, promoting, and thinking hard about Musings. We have truly enjoyed our work so far and we are looking forward to the school year ahead.

Courtesy of Erika Serodio | Source

When we were elected into our positions in April as editors-in-chief, we were living in a different world. In some ways, it felt lucky that this blogging platform we work within is already completely digital. But as the rest of our day-to-day lives transitioned to online, it felt like less of a novelty. Our writing team this summer has adapted to so many overwhelming changes, and it has made us even more proud of everything they have accomplished.

Here are some of our favourite pieces written this summer:

Our resident foodies, Dominica and Lindsay, wrote on migrant agricultural workers’ rights, how they have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the role museums play in giving a platform. 

Jessica wrote a special "Weekend Edition" piece on her first experience back to the AGO during the pandemic and how institutions are navigating the "new normal." 

A beautifully written review of the heartbreaking destruction of the S.S. Florizel by Madison is a must read of the summer.

Martin explored the life and work of lego artist, Ekow Nimako, who creates stunningly intricate statues that explore Afrofuturism and Black art. 

An essential part of the "Grad School Guide" series was written by the leaders of MPOC — Megan, Denise, Dominica, and Chloé. It’s a deep dive on how imposter syndrome manifests and how to overcome it on a personal and communal level (with amazing memes). 

Made by Chloé Houde | Source

Chloé reflected on her on emotional experiences with living history museums and explored the variety available in Europe that allow for an immersive educational experience. 

The colonial misinterpretation and fetishization of a nude Buddhist deity are highlighted in Caitlin’s article as she calls us to reconsider what we consider to be "obscene." 

Jaime explored the difference between diversity and inclusion and how museums and organizations are executing steps to make the ideal of equity a reality. 

A thoughtful piece on oral storytelling in museums and how they allow for minoritized narratives to enter museum spaces was written by Jingshu. 

Erika wrote about how Torontonians are attempting to record this strange pandemic moment by saving records of their experiences and participating in art installations. 

Annie’s summer internship check-ins helped us all feel more connected with what our peers have been up to and the exciting ways they are implementing and growing in their knowledge. 

Last, but certainly not least, Melissa reminded us all of the issues with unpaid internships and how they put students in the difficult position of choosing between financial security or relevant career experience. 

Courtesy of Melissa Mertsis.

Despite its challenges, this summer was filled with thought-provoking moments as we worked with our contributing editors and connected with the wider museum community. We whole-heartedly thank all of our readers for following along and we will see you again in the fall!

A FINAL FAREWELL: LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Letter from the Editor | Jordan Fee & Alexandra Forand

Hello Musings readers! At the Faculty of Information, many changes have occurred over the past couple of weeks due to the precautions taken In response to CoVid-19, but one thing that has remained the same is the Musings! We always strive to provide you with great content throughout the school year, and we have not stopped! We, your outgoing editors-in-chief, wanted to take a moment and reflect on this past semester and acknowledge all the hard work of our team of incredibly talented contributing editors.

Without further ado let’s get started!

Ally: Jordan, has your 2020 been “roaring?”

Jordan: Well, it’s been exciting to say the least! Although the return of the 20s has not been quite as smooth as we might have expected, it is important to remember that this decade holds some incredible potential for all of us in the museum field! We’ve been lucky to feature incredible articles from some of our contributing editors that examine the relationship between the 1920s and our current age. From Natalie’s article about fashion in the 1920’s, to Carys’s exploration of Toronto during this iconic decade, we’ve seen an incredible burst of energy and talent from all of our editors on the Musings team. Even just this week, we published an article by Martin about the Canadian scientist Frederick Banting, who in 1923 won a Nobel Prize for the discovery of insulin. Talk about topical!

Photo courtesy of Natalie Heaton

Ally: And for every article that took us back in time, there was an article that looked to current events. A few of my favourites were Michelle’s latest article discussing what museums are doing in the face of the pandemic, Amelia’s article theorizing the queer museum, and Elizabeth’s alumni check in with Kristen McLaughlin where they discussed the evolving role of museums in Canada.

Jordan: Speaking of the evolving role of museums, I was incredibly excited that Defne continued her series on teaching climate change in the museum, as this is perhaps one of the most complicated issues of our time. Knowing that there is a generation of museum workers who are dedicated to exploring difficult topics such as this one makes me incredibly hopeful. While I am sad to be ending my time in the Museum Studies program, I cannot wait to join all of my new colleagues in the professional field!

Also, I would be remiss not to mention the fantastic articles that Madison has produced on the current state of the GLAM sector! Increased collaboration between galleries, libraries, archives and museums is one of the other ways in which our industry can improve, and I feel glad to know that others support this idea as well.

Ally: While we are seeing the evolution of the museum field, it is comforting to know the field is concentrating on improving themselves with the basics. For instance, Jessica showed us simple ways to enhance storage in museums and Jaime showed us how beneficial it can be to bring in visitors to the collection.

Jordan: Also, Samantha, enlightened us on how fundraising effects and is affected by every single person in the museum!

Ally: It certainly is strange knowing that we are so close to completing our time in the program. Even more so, it feels odd to be leaving the Musings team after two years of fun times and community building! I don’t think that either of us expected to be in the role of Editor-in-Chief when we began the program, but now I couldn’t imagine it any other way. Whether we were producing content, running story workshops with our Communications Officer Erika or having end-of-semester brunch celebrations, we took every opportunity to increase Musings’s presence in the Faculty of Information! While we are sad to be leaving our posts, we cannot wait to see what next year’s editors produce!

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☕️🥞Annual Holiday Brunch with the Musings Editorial Team🥞☕️

A post shared by Musings - MMSt Student Blog (@musingsmmst) on Dec 8, 2019 at 12:02pm PST

Jordan: While this semester signalled a lot of endings, we also had a lot of new beginnings. Melissa established a brand new column discussing GLAM and wellness, the Museum Professionals of Color (MPOC) was established and they held their first panel around the theme of “Museum Detox,” and many, many exhibition openings! I particularly enjoyed Elizabeth’s review of the Winnie the Pooh exhibition at the ROM, Mary’s review of Waiting for Snow at the Art Museum of University of Toronto, Dominica and Lindsay’s experience of the "Vertical Intersections Installation, Workshop & Pok¡ Launch," at Mackenzie House, and Erika’s narrative surrounding New Circadia (adventures in Mental Spelunking) at the Design and Architecture Gallery. 

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ICYMI: on Thursday, March 12, MPOC hosted our first ever panel in collaboration with @mussauoft! The goal of our Museum Detox panel was to foster dialogue about removing social barriers in museum and implementing anti-racist praxis. It was an incredible privilege to listen to the perspectives of our three panelists, Wendy Ng, J’net Ayay Qwa Yak Sheelth, and @justjohnforreal. Thank you to everyone who helped us achieve this groundbreaking step in our journey, from our MPOC members, to staff, faculty, and all the beautiful people watching. Here’s to continuing to learn, grow, and change the world together. If you couldn’t be there, not to worry! You can watch the livestream video at the link in our bio ❤️ • • • • #museumstudies #museumhue #diversity #inclusion #museums #uoft #toronto #art #history #culture #intersectionality #museumsarenotneutral

A post shared by Museum Professionals of Colour (@mpoc.uoft) on Mar 16, 2020 at 11:22am PDT

Ally: Speaking of exhibition openings, a number of us second years were involved in researching, curating, and installing our own exhibitions as a part of our final projects for MSL 4000. Check out Carly’s article about the Shelley Peterson Student Exhibition she and her team curated. 

Jordan: How could I forget! It was so rewarding to watch all of the second-year students produce their capstone projects for the program. I feel incredibly lucky to have worked alongside such dedicated and talented individuals, and I cannot wait to see which projects we begin to work on next! Although many of us will be leaving Toronto to return home, I know that we will work collectively to improve the state of museums in Canada. Perhaps we will all be lucky enough to return for the 100th year anniversary of the Museum Studies program, just like we celebrated the 50th in 2019!

Ally: Agreed! As for now we are content with bringing some interesting articles to our readers, whether it be Val teaching us about different digital tools to help museums create applicable and accessible narratives, or Emma brightening our day with stories of historical events, Musings will always be here to catch you up, no matter the circumstances!

With that, we better say our thank you's and goodbyes. We can honestly say being Editors-in-chief of Musings was one of the greatest experiences we had during our time at the Faculty of Information. We want to thank our wonderful team of contributing editors, Erika, our fabulous communications officer (and your incoming Co-Editor-in-Chief with Jaime Meier) , and you, the readers, none of this would be possible without you. 

CHATTING BY THE FIREPLACE WITH MUSINGS AND MUSSA

Letter from the Editor | Alexandra Forand, Jordan Fee, Natalie Heaton and Emma Puddicombe

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Source. 

Well, it’s that time of year again. The wind is blowing, the snow is falling, and we are finished with yet another semester in the Museum Studies program! Since the last time we spoke with you, fellow Musers, so much has gone on that we thought we would invite the President and Vice-President of the Museum Studies Student Association (MUSSA) to chat with us and highlight all of the wonderful things that have taken place this semester!

Photo Courtesy of Erika Serodio

Photo Courtesy of Emma Puddicombe 

Without further ado, let’s get started!

Jordan: Emma, Natalie, it’s so nice to have you here with us! How are you feeling now that the semester is over?

Emma: It’s been a long semester, but such a great one! The students have all been so ready to interact with each other and take part in events on campus, and the articles Musings has published have been a joy to read every week. Our colleagues are so creative and hardworking. It’s weird to think we’ll be starting our last semester of this program in just a few weeks!

Natalie: Over the past few months I’ve been trying to push myself to try new things and meet new people! As a result, I’ve met incredible people, done amazing things, I’m really happy with how the semester went.

Ally: This is true, much has passed in just a span of 3 months. And what a whirlwind it has been! It seems like only yesterday that Jordan and I published our first articles as Editors-and-Chiefs of Musings. You can check those out here and here. How time flies!

Soure.

Jordan: Right you are! I bet the contributing editors who joined our team in September agree with you. As always, I am blown away with the breadth of articles. This semester Dominica took us on an adventure when she examined the unique programming at Black Creek Pioneer Village, Michelle had a frightfully good time at the “Bloodsuckers” at the Royal Ontario Museum, and Mary analysed “Age of you” at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA).

Photo Courtesy of Mary Wallace. 

Photo courtesy of Alexandra Forand 

Emma: Musings also went beyond museums when Carly W. explored community engagement at Community Arts Guild, Jaime investigated Library and Archives Canada (LAC) digitization projects in collaboration with the Nunavummiut, and Carys pointed out the various displays of art on the streets of Toronto and their importance.

Photo courtesy of Katherine Fleitas/peacephoto

Jordan: Of course, we can’t forget about Natalie’s article about the Ottawa Field Trip! While I was sad to miss it, the consensus seems to be that it was a fantastic trip! What were your favourite parts about it?

Photo courtesy of Natalie Heaton. 

Ally: I quite enjoyed seeing all the museums’ galleries and the stories they told with their objects. I know Carly H. would agree with me that objects can tell very powerful stories. I was also interested in the inner workers of those museums. It is not every day that you get to see museums’ collections, libraries, and research centres, as discussed by Madison!

Emma: I’m just so happy that the students who joined the trip made such great connections with the professionals we met. It’s so great seeing first-hand how much museum professionals, especially alumni, want to support us as we start our careers! Elizabeth’s check-in with Britt Braaten was especially interesting to read.

Photo courtesy of Britt Braaten.

Natalie: I will remember the relationships that I formed and the ones I strengthened with my classmates. I also loved taking in all the museums, talking to the museum professionals, and getting to go behind the scenes! The behind-the-scene tour of the Canadian History Museum was a particular standout.

Jordan: Well, I still have many fond memories of the trip to Montreal last year, and from the sounds of it, the trip to Ottawa was just as great. I think that these trips are a fantastic way for new students to form a community.

Ally: Musings is great for this as well, because that is what we aim to do! Whether that be a professional community, as seen through Samantha’s latest article interviewing Dale Butterill from the Women's Arts Association of Canada. Musings is also a great way to process current events through an important lens. I was partial to Amy’s latest article discussing the monumentalization of the Stonewall Inn, and Joanna’s take on female artists (or lack-there-of) in art museums.

Photo courtesy of Amelia Smith. 

Nathalie: I am excited to see where Defne will go with her series about museums representing climate change as well as Jessica’s series on collection storage solutions… on a budget!

Illustration courtesy of Defne Inceoglu. 

Illustration courtesy of Jessica Lanziner.

Jordan: And of course, Musings cannot exist without the help of MUSSA! It has been so fantastic seeing the two of you lead the pack this year; I truly think that the dynamic you’ve formed with the students in the faculty is incredible.

Ally: Especially now that we’re headed into the final semester of our time in the program, it is comforting to know that we have such a strong support system.

With that being said, I think it’s best that we leave our readers and give them some time to relax. Musings will be on hiatus for the rest of December, but keep an eye out in early January for new posts! In the meantime, don't forget to check our Emma’s article about holiday traditions and if you still need to do some holiday shopping head on over to Erika’s Gift Guide for Museum people! 

Happy Holidays! From our family to yours! Photo courtesy of Alexandra Forand. 

LETTERS FROM THE EDITORS: SIT DOWN, CHECK IN, AND CHAT

Letter From The Editor | Jordan Fee and Alexandra Forand

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Hello Musing readers! As summer is coming to an end we thought, as your editors-in-chief, that we would sit down, check in, and chat about the insightful writings by our amazing contributing editors this past summer.

Your trusty editors-in-chief, Jordan Fee (Top) and Ally Forand (bottom). Photographs curtesy of Jordan Fee and Ally Forand. 

Jordan: How was your summer, Ally?

Ally: It’s been really good! This summer I was working in the collections department at the Western Development Museum in Saskatoon (SK), so I really enjoyed reading Defne’s Collections Corner, especially her latest article exploring how to identify objects that have spookily little information about them. I also did a brief stint setting up for an exhibition which required putting textiles on mannequins. I  didn't know how important mannequins were in exhibits until I read Enya's article. I also gained a lot of practical information from Samantha's latest article, in which she sits down with Tazim Hirji of the Aga Khan Museum. How was your internship?

Left: Image Courtesy of Defe Inceoglu // Right: Antique Decorations Inside a Historic Building in Shantytown (Source)

Jordan: My internship has been fantastic! I’ve been working in tandem with the publications department and the curatorial department at the Art Gallery of Ontario, helping to develop an exhibition that will open next year. However, I think I’ve gotten just as much enjoyment from reading about some of the other internships that Museum Studies students have been engaged in over the past three months - just knowing that one of our colleagues is in Naples helping to refine archival practices on an archaeological dig makes me very happy! In fact, it seems like road trips have been somewhat of an unexpected theme for Musings this summer. Michelle and Caroline stopped in for a special post about their road trip through Canada, and more recently, Amy wrote about the incredible experience that she had at Museum Queeries in Winnipeg! I can’t express in words how lucky we are to have such great colleagues and friends.

Members of Museum Queeries at the Manitoba Museum being shown pelts and animal remains. Photo courtesy of Lauren Bosc.

Centre of Canada, MB. Photo Courtesy of Michelle Wright.

Ally: The roles that are being filled by MMSt students and graduates are so varied and exciting. I felt Elizabeth’s Alumni Check-in really underscored the opportunities available. But besides your internship, how was your summer?

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happy lil emerging museum professional spotted in her natural habitat 🧐 #museumweek

A post shared by Joanna Sarah (@jswrks_) on May 14, 2019 at 7:47pm PDT

Jordan: I completely agree; it’s always so nice to read about Museum Studies alumni and the exciting projects that they’ve been working on. I have to say that this summer, for me, has been one of the best in recent memory. Aside from working at the AGO, I’ve cooked dinner for friends, travelled to some beautiful farms, and drank some great wine with my co-intern Erin Stodola, who was featured in the first of Joanna’s Internship Check-In’s. To finish it all off, I’ll be travelling to Berlin in August to see my friend get married. I couldn’t be more excited! How has your summer been, Ally?

Photograph courtesy of Jordan Fee

Ally: That all sounds so exciting, I especially liked reading about your trip to the farm where you explored the different types of pigs and the intangible heritage they represent! This summer I tried to get out of the city as much as possible and explore places I had not seen before. This explorational spirit also inspired some of my own articles, especially when I found material culture in the wilderness! Luckily, I was fully prepared after taking all three of Selin’s Cultural Heritage quizzes!

Jordan: I suppose that “exploration” could be another one of our running themes. My belief is that the best writing comes from experience, and it certainly shows in all of the articles that you’ve produced this summer. I found your most recent article to be extremely powerful, and I was also happy to see that you had written a second part of Bringing Back the Buffalo! Now I just can’t wait until school starts again so that we can once again have Musings running at full speed.

(Source)

Ally: All-in-all, it's been great summer! I’ll have to review Emma’s articles for tips and tricks for grad school to get focused for the Fall.

Source. 

Jordan: But not before a much needed break in August! To prepare for the Fall, Musings will be taking a short hiatus for the month of August. During this time, I encourage all of you to relax and unwind a little before the school year begins. You all deserve it!