While touring a local art museum, visitors find themselves whisked into the unfamiliar worlds of featured artists in the comfort of their hometowns. However, behind the scenes there is an unsung hero who has been working for months — possibly even years — preparing to share these worlds with the public. This person is known as a curator.
Will South, chief curator at the Columbia Museum of Art currently finds himself in the middle of a hectic storm in preparation for his next show, “Seen & Unseen: Photographs by Imogen Cunningham,” and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
South, who began his career as a curator in 1983, discovered his calling at 5 years old after creating what he calls a "dinosaur museum” by using scraps of wood to create the main attractions.
In today’s world, where the true definition of a curator has become somewhat mainstream, South considers he and his peers at the Columbia Museum of Art to be curators in the truest sense of the word.
“Long ago, a "curate" was a minister or priest and their responsibility was the care of your soul. Museum curators are called curators in that older sense — they care for the soul of the museum, which is its collection,” South said.
The process in deciding what pieces will join the CMA’s collection involves many people and a keen attention to detail. While some shows are self-organized by the museum’s staff, others are traveling exhibitions that have been carefully scouted by curators and booked months in advance. This allows for the CMA to present a variety of work, while still adhering to their budget.
“The goal is always to have a diverse schedule, one that includes surprises and some risk. It's good to show the golden oldies ... but also to introduce important contemporary work,” South said.
“Seen & Unseen: Photographs by Imogen Cunningham,” which premiers on Feb. 2, was booked over two years ago in collaboration with Landau Traveling Exhibitions. The show celebrates Cunningham’s extensive career and her impact in ushering in photography as an art form. South believes that he and his team “have given the show a unique layout and written object labels that speak to Imogen's innovations as a photographer, but also that address her personal thoughts and her role as a feminist.”
Through showcasing Cunningham’s work, South invites visitors to appreciate the world around them and to find beauty in unexpected places.
“Photographers often show us that we simply aren't paying enough attention to the world right around us. There is visual drama in the objects on the kitchen table, there is mystery in your parents' faces, there is poignancy in the lives of folks who live on the streets,” South said.
Although he has over 30 years of experience under his belt, South still finds a new lesson in each show and enjoys the challenge in sharing what he’s learned to the ever-changing public.
“You can't ever expect people to listen to you and understand. You have to reach into their hearts and get them excited about the hand-made object. It's doable, but tough,” South said. “You don't always connect. But, you try again."