Museum Studies Intern at The Andy Warhol Museum - Fall 2017
When I began my undergraduate career at the University of Pittsburgh, hours from home and eager to explore my new city, one of my first stops was The Andy Warhol Museum. I was immediately fascinated by the concept of a museum dedicated to a single artist and equally interested in the museum’s mission to ‘contribute research and scholarship about contemporary art and Andy Warhol.’ Before my first visit, I was somewhat familiar with Warhol’s most popular work, including his portraits of celebrities and Campbell’s Soup Cans, but was naïve to the breadth and longevity of the Pittsburgh native’s career. On countless return trips to the museum, I was always intrigued by both the work of curators who continuously reimagined the collection and of Warhol’s ability to produce art that remains relevant decades after its inception.
This past semester I had the opportunity to intern with Milton Fine Curator of Art, Jessica Beck. My work for the term centered around researching two upcoming shows, Adman: Warhol Before Pop and Cry Baby: Devan Shimoyama. One of the most rewarding aspects of my time at The Andy Warhol Museum has been the opportunity to gain insight on the inner workings of the curatorial process. Compiling bibliographies on Warhol’s Boy Book drawings and photography has not only increased my personal knowledge of previous scholarship on Warhol, but also allowed me to provide valuable sources of reference to the curatorial team. During this process, I utilized Pitt’s University Library System. Having access to databases and sources helped me do my job efficiently and continue to learn more about Warhol as I researched.
Serving as a curatorial assistant at The Andy Warhol Museum has been extremely gratifying. As an Art History and Museum Studies student who is interested in contemporary art and passionate about the city of Pittsburgh, this position has allowed me to explore future career possibilities and learn about the innovative, complex, and immortal work of Andy Warhol.
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