Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service's Blog

Behind the Scenes with Kennedy Curator: Part II

SITES editor Ann Carper recently sat down with the curator of The Kennedys | Portrait of a Family: Photographs by Richard Avedon. Read on for a continuation of their in-depth conversion:

Q: What makes The Kennedys different from other Richard Avedon and Kennedy exhibitions and books?
A: This is the intersection of two icons. Other exhibitions and books by Avedon or about John F. Kennedy and his family cover a larger span of time and multiple events. These photographs were produced within the course of a few hours. By studying this group of photographs, we can focus on the time between Kennedy’s election and inauguration.

Q: So there were two photo sessions on one day, but for different magazines?
A: Yes. After the Harper’s Bazaar photo session on January 3, 1961, he photographed the Kennedys for LOOK magazine. The LOOK photographs are very different from the HB photographs! The most obvious difference is that many of the LOOK images are in color instead of black and white. The LOOK photos present the first family as the Kennedys were usually presented in various picture magazines. The environment (their home on the beach) and their activities (swimming in the ocean, playing in the yard, playing inside with dolls) provide information that shapes the viewer’s perception of the Kennedys. The Harper’s Bazaar photographs, by contrast, strip the context away, and all that is left is the person in front of the camera. We have to look at the person and develop opinions about that person.

Q: What do we learn from looking at the contact sheets?
A: We learn about the photographer’s image selection. Most people, when selecting a portrait, will pick the image in which the subject looks happy and is looking at the camera. Avedon did make those kinds of pictures, but he didn’t choose those. He opted for the images in which the subject exhibits physical and/or psychological tension, as well as tension within the composition.

Q: Tell us more about Richard Avedon. How did he get his start?
A: Avedon (1923-2004) was born and raised in New York City. His father owned a dress shop so Avedon was around women’s fashions and advertising all the time. When he joined the Merchant Marines, he was assigned to make photographs for identification cards. Starting in 1945, after the Merchant Marines, he began bringing together the sensibilities he had been gathering to bring to his vision of photography. About 1942, Alexy Brodovitch, a famed designer, was the art director at Harper’s Bazaar. He noticed Avedon’s potential as a unique photographer and brought him on board. The two men, along with editors Carmel Snow and Diana Vreeland, formed a powerful team that produced visually and intellectually exciting content for the magazine. At the time, fashion magazines were on the front edge of graphic design.

Q: If Avedon were still alive, what would you like to ask him about the photo session?
A: I would like a blow by blow of the events, and to know what he overheard! There were so many people: some were working in relation to the photo session, some just hanging out, and others working for Kennedy. In fact, on January 3, 1961, the U.S. severed diplomatic relations with Cuba, so I wonder if between frames there were people saying things like, "Eisenhower’s staff is on the phone and they’ve got news." I’m also curious about how the LOOK magazine session came to be. I have some ideas, but would like to confirm them. It would tell me more about how he operated as a working photographer.

Want the full interview with exhibition curator Shannon Perich?

Smithsonian and Teen Second Life

Visited Second Life lately? If you haven't jumped on the virtual bandwagon to explore this alternate world, let me catch you up to speed:

Second Life is an online gathering place for people of all ages to play, learn, create, and interact. In this realm, you customize a digital self called an "avatar," (yes, you can become a blonde) the being through which you experience everything from theatrical performances to museum exhibitions. You can go shopping at a high-end retail store one day and build your virtual dream house the next. The possibilities are truly limitless. Teen Second Life, just for kids ages 13-17, is a bit different--more protected, with a focus on education and community but still endless in its scope.

We're elated to report that one of our exhibitions, Transitions: Photographs by Robert Creamer, is now on view in Teen Second Life. The online show was created by the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg Counties (NC) in conjunction with the library's real-world presentation of the exhibit (a teen patron actually built the gallery space). This micro version is nearly identical to the traveling exhibit with one exception: Here, the gallery will also house works of scanner art by teens themselves, and unlike a traditional gallery, this space has room to grow, giving students virtual walls on which to hang their digital designs.

Indeed, the library has done a fantastic job of integrating hands-on instruction--scanner photograhy classes that were offered at the library--with the virtual world, the world that these digital natives know so well.

Look for the Second Life photo gallery in the left column . . .

Behind the Scenes with Kennedy Curator: Part I

Shannon Thomas Perich is curator of The Kennedys | Portrait of a Family: Photographs by Richard Avedon, which presents for the first time photos of president-elect John F. Kennedy and his family from a 1961 Harper’s Bazaar photo session. The exhibition, a version of which SITES is circulating to six venues nationwide, opened to great acclaim last fall at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Shannon also wrote the companion book of the same title (Collins Design, 2007).

Shannon is associate curator in the National Museum of American History’s Photographic History Collection, which consists of about 200,000 photographs and some 12,000 pieces of apparatus representing over 2,000 photographers, studios, and companies.

Q: What’s the most common reaction you’ve had to the photographs?
A: If people are of a certain age, they will recall where they were when Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963. Many people connect with Jackie and respond to her sense of style, polish, and sophistication that she brought to American culture and fashion. Others feel nostalgic about that time period. Many young people are equally enthralled with the photographs and have a chance see the Kennedys is a new light.

Whether we know it or not, we all bring a lot of knowledge about the Kennedys to our viewing experience. The experience is full of dramatic irony because we know the story of how three of the four lives end. Here they are, Kennedy about to inaugurated in three weeks; Jackie is young and beautiful; Caroline is an innocent three year old; John Jr. is just barely six weeks old. There is so much anticipation and hope for what lies beyond January 3, 1961. But we know John Jr. will bury his father on his third birthday, then suffer his own tragic death. We know of Jackie’s challenges, successes, and death.

Q: Where were these photos originally seen?
A: This exhibition is the first time that all of these photographs have been seen together. Originally, only six appeared in Harper’s Bazaar in 1961. Recent research revealed that four more appeared in the January 1964 Harper’s Bazaar along with "Sailing to Byzantium" (that’s the one that starts, "That is no country for old men.") by William Butler Yeats as a memorial to Kennedy.

Q: What does Avedon want us to know about the Kennedys?
A: When you look at the photographs as they appeared in their original photo essay context as Richard Avedon’s "Observations" in Harper’s Bazaar, the set of six photographs have to been seen together. As a magazine viewer, you would see them in sets of two as a spread. There is no text with the photographs except for the title of the section and each of the Kennedy family member’s names. And although we know Jackie is wearing dresses by Oleg Cassini and Givenchy, this is not a fashion spread. These six photographs, made and arranged by Avedon, are about what he has observed.

Briefly, the first set suggests that Kennedy will be a paternalistic president. The second set refers to the values of family and hope for the future. The third set present President-elect and Mrs. Kennedy as regal, calm, and confident. We are expected to feel good about this first family in the White House and that this president will take care of the nation.

Look for Part II of Ann Carper's interview with Shannon Perich next week . . .

Marketing your Next Exhibition

There is, perhaps, no worse feeling. After putting hundreds of hours into the conception, fabrication, and promotion of an exhibition, you discover that the visitation numbers are abysmal. People meander through the gallery here and there, but they aren't lining up outside the doors; they aren't calling for tickets; they just don't seem all that interested--much to your utter chagrin. What happened? You went through all of the proper PR channels; you navigated those waters with ease, but still the rooms were silent--no buzz at all.

If you've ever found yourself in this situation, read on. Here are a few tips from our Scheduling and Exhibitor Relations (marketing) team that might help you avoid the exhibition bust blues:

Q. What's the best way to market an exhibition?
A. First, you need to know your audience. Will your core group of visitors care about this topic? Conversely, are you trying to reach out to a totally new group? What might appeal to them? Try testing the waters through your website, written survey materials, or an exhibition prospectus. Sometimes, it's most effective just to talk to people.

Q. What shows usually bring in the most visitors?
A. For us, the exhibitions that are the easiest to book are those that deal with diversity and culture. This is very relevant to every community because the world is changing. You can no longer present things from just one side. Science exhibitions, that can successfully speak to students, are also hot right now. No matter what the age, people just can't get enough of highly interactive exhibits (like our new science show DIG IT!)

Q. Movies, theater, concerts, folks have so many entertainment options. What do you think people are really looking for in an exhibition?
A. There's a lot of exhibitions out there about the same old thing, but we believe people want to learn about topics that haven't been addressed in the mainstream--exhibitions about immigration, Native Americans, or African American history. On the other hand, it doesn't have to lofty to be interesting. Some of our most desired exhibitions have been about popular culture. Lunch Box Memories was a show of, you guessed it, vintage lunch boxes (Star Trek fans rejoice). Another option is to tap into a prominent anniversary. We tied 381 Days: The Montgomery Bus Boycott Story to the 50th anniversary of Rosa Parks historic decision not to give up her seat. Still, whatever you decide to pitch to your board/senior management or to the public, it needs to have broad-base appeal.

Q. Are there some topics that are still too hot to handle?
A. Definitely. You can easily offend or slight someone, especially in religious matters. What we have found is that museums in large metropolitan areas (with diverse communities) are a bit more open to tough issues. But, there is certainly an untapped market out there for anybody who is brave enough to go there.

Michelle Torres-Carmona, Ed Liskey, and Minnie Micu make up SITES' hard-working marketing staff. Like many folks at the Smithsonian and at your museums, their behind-the-scenes efforts make things possible for the rest of us!

More Than Baseball: Clemente's Story has Broad Appeal

You may remember how excited we were a few months ago when we posted our first-ever podcast. Now it's official, other people (not just our production team and our mothers) agree that it was a great piece!

Beyond Baseball: The Life of Roberto Clemente batted against more than 200 other podcasts last week at the American's Association of Museum's conference in Denver, and it won a silver medal. Here's what the judges had to say:

"The elegance of its presentation and organization of its themes, the compelling and inspirational stories, and production values which let you lose yourself in its time and place all add up to a concise and excellent podcast series. For both those who remember Clemente and those for whom Clemente has little resonance, the podcasts are engaging, informative, inspirational and bring little-known information and context to light. The voices, music, and background sounds are appropriate and a pleasure to listen to. 

Clemente’s story is about clashing cultures, tolerance and understanding, perseverance and integrity, politics and social justice, and how a place on the world stage can be exploited for greater good--a wealth of subtexts for personal contemplation and further discussion. It is also a great story about baseball and American life, assuring broad interest. The podcast successfully augments a website which presents images from the traveling exhibition, videos, and lesson plans for middle schoolers. Versions in both Spanish and English will help assure broad access. Both in association with the traveling exhibition and by itself, this podcast promises to be an enduring resource. The website describes Clemente’s story as the “ascendancy of man to myth.” These podcasts are truly “Beyond Baseball."'

>>Hear the podcast

>>Check out the website

Coming Soon! Earth from Space posters

You've probably been sucked into using Google Earth at least once, zooming in on your community or even your street. Well, Earth from Space is the ultimate eye candy for anyone interested in planetary voyeurism (putting static Google maps to shame I dare say). With views of powerful weather phenomenon, impressive city skylines, and diverse global ecosystems, Earth from Space allows us to ride along with high-tech space satellites like Landsat 7, QuickBird, and Terra, "seeing" exactly what they see. It's complicated science, but it's also fascinating and beautiful, probably the very reasons that thousands of visitors have flocked to the exhibition as it has traveled across the country.

If you can't make it to the large-scale exhibit, we've got good news for you. SITES and the U.S. Geological Survey are producing a free poster version of Earth from Space, featuring the same stunning images that have been so popular (the traveling exhibit won a government communications award for science content in 2007). A collaboration with geographer and curator Andrew Johnston at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum’s (NASM) Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, the posters will be available on a limited basis to libraries, schools, community centers, and others.

>>Interested in finding out how your institution can acquire a set?

>>See conceptual design for the poster exhibit