Spring 2012 - Dress and Textile Specialists

14. Brooks, M. M. 2011. Following the Thread
http://www.yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk/assets/collections/talking%20textiles%20-
%20follow%20the%20thread.pdf
15. Wilkinson, H. 2011.Sharing Knowledge: a Toolkit. A Practical Guide for Museums based on the
Monument Fellowships from the Museums Association.
http://www.museumsassociation.org/download?id=322812
16. Museum Practice. Succession Planning. http://www.museumsassociation.org/museumpractice/succession-planning
_____
Can you just pop that on a mannequin for me?’ – Object Preservation v Press
Demands Beatrice Behlen, Senior Curator of Fashion & Decorative Arts, Museum of London
Curators are expected to play a significant part in publicising their institution’s programme, events
and collections. Members of museums’ press departments usually understand that the use of
objects demands certain safeguards. However, in the pursuit of the all-important media coverage
there are sometimes attempts to blur or cross agreed boundaries.
Beatrice described the progress of one particular publicity project. To appeal to an otherwise hard to
reach audience the Museum of London agreed to collaborate with AnOther Magazine on producing
a short stop-motion film for the publication’s website. After almost a year of negotiations a shooting
timetable was agreed at very short notice.
Stop-motion animation involves taking a very high number of photographs of objects in different
positions, which has to be carefully handled. Twenty outfits were transported to a photographic
studio outside a museum, with all the potential loss of control this might entail. Smaller objects were
photographed at the Museum but they also had to be ‘animated’, i.e. moved in ingenious ways to
work with the film’s story.
Beatrice animating a bathing cap
Agata Belcen manipulating spectacles
While the filmmaker, her staff and that of AnOther were very understanding of the constraints
under which curators have to operate, it proved sometimes difficult to ensure the safety of the
objects. Thankfully none were harmed and the Museum was very happy with Quentin Jones’ Time
Machine. The film is beautiful and can still be seen on AnOther’s website
http://www.anothermag.com/exclusives/time-machine) where it is accompanied by information
about the Museum’s collection. It is, however, hard to evaluate what exactly has been achieved by
this project.
The main lessons learned from this somewhat experimental undertaking were: 1. while this is often
impossible, try to make sure you know beforehand what you are letting yourself in for and make
clear what is acceptable and what is not, 2. discuss the project’s aims with your press
24