The Art of Making it Look Easy

Unlike the work of mathematicians, that of most museum staff is not meant to be seen. The results must instead appear effortless, almost as though the building itself manifested the art in the galleries without the help of human hands. The attendant misconception that museums are quiet, slow-paced work environments inspired the museum’s communications team to play paparazzi for a few weeks in May, when we captured our colleagues working on projects rarely seen or thought about but nonetheless essential to the life of a museum, its exhibitions, and its collection.

[Above:] A literal glimpse behind the curtain! In late April 2023, the museum constructed a temporary wall in Albright Gallery for the exhibition Recording War. Several weeks later, the Hood Museum’s exhibition preparators were close to having the entire exhibition installed. The final step to completing an installation is lighting!

[Above:] Museum Preparator Matthew Oates paints a metal wall mount (over protected artwork) to “match” the decorative handle of an antique gun now on view in Recording War. Matt said, “I’m not trying to replicate the details with exact precision. My goal is to provide an illusion of continuity so that our eyes can ignore the mount [and Matt’s work] entirely.”

[Above:] Head of Exhibitions Nicole Gilbert (left) and Associate Curator of Collections Ashley Offill use to-scale replicas of Hood Museum galleries and images of artwork to lay out Gilded: Contemporary Artists Explore Value and Worth, a traveling exhibition that opens at the Hood Museum in winter 2024. These gallery models are in high demand among staff because every exhibition must go through this laborious process. Can you tell what gallery faces the camera here?

[Above:] Lead Preparator Susan Achenbach frames the 45 works on paper for the first installation of Recording War, after which certain light-sensitive objects will be rotated out for others. The glass is dusted with air prior to being laid on the print, but sometimes Sue must use a dry paintbrush to clean off bits of dust from underneath the glass. After the work is framed, she drills holes for the hanging apparatus.

[Above:] Visitor Services Guide John Milnes checks the humidity in the secondfloor galleries. The guides check the humidity level at least twice a day to ensure that the museum galleries maintain 50% humidity and a temperature of 70°F.

[Above:] Communications Coordinator Anna Kaye Schulte traveled to Puritan Press to be on site when the summer issue of the Hood Quarterly printed. Part of Anna Kaye’s job is ensuring quality control of the museum’s publications. Color is key! Here, she and co-owner Jay Stewart discuss changes that need to be made on press to match the previously color-corrected proofs.

[Above:] During the pandemic, staff started creating virtual 3D tours of exhibitions. Here, I [Alison Palizzolo] am using a Matterport 3D camera to scan the current exhibition Kent Monkman: The Great Mystery. Photo by Anna Kaye Schulte.

This post was authored by Alison Palizzolo, Head of Communications, Content, and Brand.

This article was originally published in the museum’s 2023 summer Hood Quarterly.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alison began working at the Hood Museum of Art in the summer of 2008 as an intern while attending Keene State College. During her internship, she was mentored by Bart Thurber, then-curator of European art, and Sharon Reed, then-public relations coordinator. After the internship, she continued to volunteer at the museum on a monthly basis. Alison graduated cum laude from Keene State College in 2009 with an individualized major in art history and a minor in studio art. In February 2010, Alison accepted the renewable term position of public relations assistant. In May 2016, she was promoted to Public Relations Coordinator, and in August 2020 she was promoted to Digital Content Manager. In September 2023, Alison was promoted to Head of Communications, Content, and Brand.