Work in Progress: Conversations about American Art
Installation views of Work in Progress: Conversations about American Art in the Indianapolis Museum of Art Galleries, opened May 27, 2023. Artworks © their respective creators. Courtesy of the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields.
A reinstallation of Newfields’ American art galleries that served as the first step in reimagining how the museum displays and interprets its permanent collection. The project invited visitors to explore a more expansive and inclusive story of American art, bringing together works spanning more than 200 years and placing historical and contemporary artworks in conversation. Perspectives and lived experiences that have not traditionally been represented in the galleries were incorporated alongside museum interpretation. Central to the project was the Looking Glass Alliance, a group of Indianapolis community contributors whose voices and experiences were woven throughout the galleries, creating space for multiple perspectives and new ways for visitors to connect with the collection.
My Role
I led the museum interpretation strategy, project development, and grant stewardship for the 12,000-square-foot reinstallation, working closely with my team on the hands-on development and implementation. I provided strategic direction and creative oversight throughout the project. Together, we developed the framework for integrating community perspectives alongside museum interpretation and led the development of the Looking Glass Alliance, working with community contributors to bring their experiences and perspectives into the galleries. I led the evaluation strategy with my team, conducting formative and summative evaluation throughout the project. Findings were used to inform subsequent collection projects and an ongoing approach to evaluating and evolving how Newfields displays and interprets its collection.
Explore the full project website to learn more about Work in Progress and access the stories, interpretation, and additional content created as part of the project.
https://discovernewfields.org/events-exhibitions/conversations-about-american-art
Watch a speaker series conversation to get behind the scenes and hear from the Looking Glass Alliance and Newfields staff, including me, about the goals and collaborative process behind the project.
