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  • 1.  Union carpenter for install vs. museum staff

    Posted 08-28-2019 05:06 PM
    Hello,

    I am wondering how others have navigated an issue I have encountered...

    I am assisting a college to install a collection of historic photographs and associated text panels. The college once had a museum, but it is no longer active and they are now maintaining a collection. These photographs and a few small artifacts (pens with historic provenance mostly) will be going in to a room that is duel purpose exhibition and reception space. We learned that their is a policy that if a nail goes into the wall, a union carpenter has to do it. This disrupts our plan to have a museum professional do the graphic identity, exhibit design, and install. The one work around is that this rule does not apply to "art." In historical museums, I know we often encounter this issue of stated rules/exceptions for "art" that doesn't necessarily contain language for historic artifacts/archives. It seems to me that this exemption should also apply to historic artifacts because the spirit of the rule is to give the college the ability to care for its own valuable objects. Can someone share with me any language they have for communicating this to the union liaison? 

    Thank you!

    Jaden

    ------------------------------
    Jaden Hansen
    Founding Director, Museum of Minneapolis
    Minneapolis, MN
    ------------------------------
    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 2.  RE: Union carpenter for install vs. museum staff

    Posted 08-29-2019 08:21 AM
    Dear Jaden - I would urge that this exhibition as I understand it from your description NOT go forward.  To display historic photographs in a dual (sp) purpose space is folly.  The photographs should be (actually should have been, long ago) scanned and the facsimiles displayed or the scans incorporated into text panels, which might make it possible, after all, for the union carpenters to install.

    If (as I hope) it's a temporary exhibition, the panels an be fabricated onto foam core board, which is relatively inexpensive.  A good local sign company can implement with good, hi-res design files.  Perhaps the college has a graphic design major, or at least course(s) and student(s) could be engaged in the design?  I'd be happy to send you (off line of the forum) sample files where we have used this method.

    Good Luck!

    Vivian F. Zoë, Director
    Slater Memorial Museum
    108 Crescent Street, Norwich CT 06360
    860-425-5560 vox
    860-885-0379 fax

    "Inspiration is for amateurs - the rest of us just show up and get to work," Chuck Close, 2003


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    Original Message
    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 3.  RE: Union carpenter for install vs. museum staff

    Posted 08-29-2019 12:31 PM
    As an artist and a museum professional I use the word "art" to describe objects with historical significance regularly.  The union representative's concern is likely to prevent setting a precedent for installation work outside of art-installation work, being done by non-union members in the future. 

    I would call what you are installing "art", respectfully cite the exclusion and let them know you understand and respect their policy of non-art union-work going forward. I can't imagine them reasonably receiving a kind, respectful communication poorly. 





    Original Message
    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 4.  RE: Union carpenter for install vs. museum staff

    Posted 08-29-2019 01:27 PM

    I would talk to your union liaison and explain that this is work for a specialist.  If there is a union specialist available to work under your direction, then you're set.  If there isn't you can either consider it an exception to the policy or have your install people join the union.  I'm going to assume that this is a city-mandated policy.  If not, I'd have it re-written.

     

    Greg

     

    Sent from Mail for Windows 10

     




    Original Message
    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


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