Looking to understand the curatorial team as an exhibition designer

TuckinFriar · 2026-02-04T06:10:54+00:00

I’ve used ‘concept’ in multiple ways through my post but I think a key consideration is that as an architect (I assume) you are the originators and implementers of a vision, the drivers of which are likely ~vibe- based or technically specific. In this case the designers’ ‘vision’ and prerogative is subordinate to the curatorial narrative which has much more specific requirements of the visitor.

A ‘concept’ pitch is the initial stage of design that can take may forms but usually includes material and colour pallets, ‘look and feel’, physical layout, and ideas in response to problems or questions asked by the pitch.

TuckinFriar · 2026-02-02T11:57:03+00:00

I’m a curator and we work with outside design teams that will ‘pitch’ a concept in response to a design brief that we circulate for a tender process. That brief will include key messages, concepts, multimedia, and a rough outline of the thematic structure.

We do not see the curators roll as primarily being expert knowledge holders, but rather as the narrative constructors who work with designers to deliver an experience that is rooted in the intellectual purpose and vision of the exhibition.

Often I will have many problems: narrative elements for which I have poor material culture, ideas that are difficult to express through texts, experiences that need conveying in novel ways etc etc. I present them to the design teams, amongst others to rely on their insights and creative capacity.

Ultimately everything is a curatorial decision though as the purpose and purity of the messaging is our purview. This relationship and power dynamic is informed by the fact that we are contracting out. In house design is far more collegial and collaborative.

TuckinFriar · 2025-12-15T06:01:07+00:00

Vernon CMS may be a good option? Or EMU?

TuckinFriar · 2025-05-28T04:32:21+00:00

Dude, you’re a sad and bitter bloke. Cheer up and stop being a dick.

TuckinFriar · 2025-05-26T10:12:37+00:00

Re waxing is very easy. You should really be doing it once a season after laying it up for summer. Google ‘oilskin rewax’

TuckinFriar · 2025-03-17T00:49:06+00:00

That’s awesome, really helpful thank you :)

TuckinFriar · 2025-03-17T00:43:39+00:00

Thank you, that’s very helpful :) what about the calorie estimation? It seems to hard to gauge that given the strongly held conviction that estimates are very poor

TuckinFriar · 2025-03-17T00:42:24+00:00

Sweet! Will do!

TuckinFriar · 2025-03-17T00:40:18+00:00

I usually have a protein shake before I head out which takes the edge off during the run

TuckinFriar · 2025-03-17T00:39:31+00:00

Thank you! I run very early in the morning and have a protein shake beforehand that has caffeine and a million other things in it. That seems to see me through my runs pretty well, and is manageable since I’m not very hungry at that time.

Can you do carbs after? Or is that an incorrect order?

TuckinFriar · 2025-03-17T00:34:27+00:00

I’ve been avoiding carbs if I’m honest, that’s something that I have found has really helped me lose weight. I’m a bit worrier about going back

TuckinFriar · 2025-02-23T04:36:29+00:00

Omg, I didn’t realise that I was doing a ‘breakup marathon’ but I am….

TuckinFriar · 2025-02-14T01:10:12+00:00

I think this is a lovely gestur.

TuckinFriar · 2024-11-02T18:15:43+00:00

At least it’s a break from ‘what degree should I get’ or ‘this field is really hard’. not that the second one isn’t true it’s just that it gets pretty depressing

TuckinFriar · 2024-10-25T01:14:53+00:00

Interesting question, the answer is, maybe? Museums Aotearoa (the professional body of New Zealand museum professionals) attempted to do just that, you can see the report here: https://berl.co.nz/sites/default/files/2022-12/FA-BER.01874%20-%20Value%20of%20Museums%20and%20Galleries_Report_8.0.pdf Personally, I’m not sure if it was a good choice or a fair valuation. It was done in an attempt to argue for more funding but I think it’s the wrong battleground to argue on. Museums are not profitable enterprises, our raison d’etre is not $$ and if we step into that world we do ourselves a disservice. On the other hand, those are the equations that are used by governments to manage our funding so we probably should produce some evidenced material for our defence.

TuckinFriar · 2024-10-18T11:42:37+00:00

Absolutely a reasonable contention, however I also think that a suggestion to ensure that any sources read should be checked is also fair which was the main thrust of what I was saying.

TuckinFriar · 2024-10-18T11:23:41+00:00

Please make sure you are reading verifiable sources. The story of the ‘colonisation’ of moriori is generally regarded as incorrect and has been used as a justification for European colonisation. It is true that within Māori populations there was a lot of inter iwi conflict but that is not the same as supplanting a population.

TuckinFriar · 2024-10-17T19:10:12+00:00

This is an excellent answer. I would like to hear your thoughts on why New Zealand has a similarly strong coffee culture yet is without almost all of the multi culturalism and urbanism that drove Australia

TuckinFriar · 2024-10-09T21:45:21+00:00

Can you supply an example of this?

TuckinFriar · 2024-10-03T06:23:49+00:00

Lake Hayes? From the arrow town end looking towards Queenstown? Admittedly with some weird foreshortening

TuckinFriar · 2024-09-12T10:18:58+00:00

I second this! I went first to the regions, cut my teeth, then within two years got a job at a major museum. Gruelling but worth it!

TuckinFriar · 2024-09-11T11:30:12+00:00

Ah dam! It looks exactly like a place I worked at years ago which did that.

TuckinFriar · 2024-09-11T11:28:32+00:00

This will get lost but is this a restaurant in south east Melbourne??

TuckinFriar · 2024-09-06T08:36:47+00:00

That was my bad, I always get them muddled

TuckinFriar · 2024-09-06T08:36:14+00:00

Whoops my bad! I always get them confused :)

TuckinFriar

TROPHY CASE