It was a very busy week last week for the class! This past week was spent in the gallery discussing and finalizing the installation. We also walked around the gallery while the installation team discussed where they would be placing objects and asking for feedback. While in the gallery we discussed wall texts and where they would be placed on the walls. There was much debate on certain aspects of the Exhibition, this pertained too certain objects and where they would be placed and how their placement would affect the flow of the show. One aspect of the show that was discussed that is very important is that of the placement of the monitor that would be on during the show. We wanted to make sure the monitor and what will be playing on it, would not cause people to group up in front of it and cause congestion in the gallery. What room the monitor would be in was finally decided by the end of class with everyone agreeing on it being in the same gallery as the Avinoff watercolors.
Last week the Documentation group began filming for what would be on the monitor during the show. They set up shop in the French Room in the Cathedral of learning and interviewed tour guides of the Nationality Rooms as well as Trainees. They also were also to get an in-depth interview with Michael Walter, the tour coordinator of the Nationality Rooms here at Pitt! The interview gave further insight into certain aspects of the Rooms and some challenges he has faced while tour coordinator of the Nationality Rooms.
As we come closer and closer to the Gallery opening the working groups are in full gear creating and finalizing wall texts as well as tombstone texts for each and every object that is in the Show. While learning how to create these wall texted we faced the issue of making sure we did not write to much or too little, but just the right amount of text on the labels. This is an ongoing challenge each group faces in creating these texts as well as making sure each member of the group gets their opinion heard. Wall texts play a key role in a gallery and can be just as important as an object in the show, both the object and the text must match to make an effective message and one understood by the gallery visitor. It's our job to make sure this is done and the wall texts can be understood by everyone regardless of age and education, this show is for everyone!