Years
2022-2024
Institution
Folger Shakespeare Library
After starting as Folger’s first Head of Exhibitions in June 2022, during the Design Development phase of exhibition planning, I served as internal project manager for the institution’s first-ever core/long-term exhibition, which opened in June 2024.
In that role, I collaborated with and orchestrated an external project manager, the two exhibition directors (Folger’s Director of Collections and Exhibitions and Director of Education), the Conservation team, exhibition coordinator, research librarians, the imaging team, and the contracted exhibition designer, fabricator, media developers, installers, printers, artist Fred Wilson, and lighting technicians to complete different tasks in the exhibition.
What I Did
Collaborated on object selection
Supervising the Exhibition Coordinator and collaborating with conservators, we updated an AirTable system for tracking objects.
Facilitated a session with the exhibition directors, who finalized their object selection for the opening of the exhibition space.
Collaborated on object preparation and installation
Collaborated with conservators who prepared items for installation, arranging sessions involving them and the exhibition directors, and developed systems in AirTable for tracking their work and resolving issues.
I balanced the needs of the conservation, marketing, and development teams in accessing the space during exhibition installation.
Managed image selection and transmission
For a wall installation of 1971 individual pages of images that form a mosaic of items from the Folger collection, I directed the work of Folger reference librarians and the imaging department to bulk select and transmit images to the exhibition designer.
Managed on-site installation
Provided daily on-site oversight of exhibition installation contractors, resolving questions in the moment and represented the Folger’s interests.
Served as liaison among and coordinated work of site lead, exhibition project manager, fabrication project manager, commissioned artist, conservators, exhibition coordinator, curators, and overall project directors.
Contributed to script preparation
Managed and responded to editorial comments from 8 scholars, 5 staff members, and sensitivity reader. From those comments, I suggested revisions to project directors for interpretive labels, object labels, and touchscreen interactive text in permanent exhibition.
Managed delivery and installation of art piece
Folger commissioned artist Fred Wilson to create a black glass mirror for the Shakespeare exhibition hall.
Worked with Wilson’s studio to facilitate the installation, including driving a replica painting to New York, arranging for its return after the project was completed, and transmitting complementary and reference images from the Folger collection.
Supervised setting up the installation of the piece, including its delivery from New York, installation by art handlers, and installation of complementary pieces by Folger’s team.
Created project management systems
Coordinated work of Exhibition Coordinator and Conservation team to update and modify custom AirTable base to manage and organize information, including images, artifacts, and written content for the core/long-term exhibition.
Within AirTable, created a project management system to monitor progress of various elements of the core/long-term exhibition planning and installation.