Museology
This space hosts the individual and collaborative projects I have taken part in whilst completing my Master of Curatorial and Museum Studies program at the University of Adelaide.
Non-Linear Soundscapes: Enhancing the Ideation and Planning of Audio Within Museums and Galleries Using Strategies and Practices from the Video Game Industry
My thesis connects the practices utilised by video game designers to arrange cohesive audio experiences in non-linear and self-directed environments to the environments of museum and gallery spaces. I identify strategies and methods for managing audio elements spatially, but also for the communication of ideas surrounding the audio experience, especially with external professionals.
I argue that due to the common mode of interaction of movement through a designed environment, as well as other parallels between the mediums, certain strategies that are used to great success in the video game industry show potential for application within museum and gallery spaces. Finally, I develop a toolset from my own experience as a sound designer in the cultural industry, personal comments from industry professionals, and concepts I identified in my research of museological writings and video game industry materials on sound design.
This toolset aims to assist museum professionals in the early concept ideation and planning of audio elements, facilitating the introduction of sound during the initial curatorial interpretative process. Furthermore, the toolset is designed to be applicable at a variety of scales and useful in guiding the practical implementation of audio elements either in-house or in collaboration with external contractors.
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The toolset will continue to be developed and expanded. I plan to develop an interactive workshop based on my research, available for museum and gallery professionals to begin working with more dynamic sound in mind.
Entwined: String Games Across Cultures
In the second semester of 2023 I took a course titled The Exhibition: Concept, Design, and Delivery. This course centered on the creation of a fully-realised professional level exhibition, led by students. The exhibition, “Entwined: String Games Across Cultures” was hosted in the University of Adelaide’s Barr Smith Library, and utilised the Harry and Honor Maude collection to tell the story of sting games in the Pacific and beyond. The creation of the exhibition was entirely led and realised by students within a semester time-frame, with students specialising in different roles and responsibilities, and sharing others.
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My primary roles in the production were as follows:
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Sound Designer : Created an original soundtrack for the exhibition using an iterative design process which prioritized the audience experience allowed for the introduction of new thematic elements through continual feedback and revision.
Video Director : Worked in conjunction with a video editor to produce a video composed of archival and modern images and footage of string games in a variety of cultures. The video was designed to work in tandem with the soundtrack, reinforcing an evocative audience experience.
Communications and Content Clearance : Operated as the primary liaison between the exhibition and external parties such as individuals and institutions in negotiating usage rights for images and videos, as well as promoting the exhibition and the opening night event. Primary contact point between the exhibition and the Maude family.
Curator : Designed and curated a section of the exhibition late into the production timeline, under substantial time and budgetary limitations. Selected objects and themes, display methods, drafted accompanying text, and designed the section to fit within the exhibition as a whole.
Assistant Treasurer : Built and managed the budgetary spreadsheet which was used for the planning stages of the exhibition production. Attended all meetings in which spending was discussed in order to input any proposed costs.
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A more detailed breakdown of my thoughts and process behind the designing of the soundtrack/soundscape can be found in the blog section of the site, or by clicking here.
Significance Assessment: SAM Garamut
Significance assessment of the Lower Sepik Garamut currently in the South Australian Museums Pacific collection. Completed for my Secret Lives of Objects course, and could still use some revision, I argued that the Garamut is in fact significant, and perhaps even under-utilized in its current display.
Mock Business Case for New Gallery
An exercise in constructing a convincing and well researched business case for the proposal of the construction of a new gallery or museum. In this case I chose the South Australian community of Normanville as the target location, and designed a small community gallery which addressed various goals as outlined in local council reports.
Collection Needs Assessment
An exercise in the writing of an assessment report on the specific care and management needs in the acceptance and intake of an object collection into a collections storage facility. This involves assessment of the procedures, materials, and working hours needed to accomplish this task with best practices, in order to properly report the total estimated expenditure of accepting the collection.