May was my month for relaxation, play, and that much needed transition into summer. Before the semester ended I set a date and made a pact with myself to really start delving into the thesis process from where I left off. I’m proud to say that I’m actually one day ahead of schedule and eager to begin. I never really stopped thinking about my topic. Upon learning I’m a graduate student people often ask the “what’s your thesis on?” question. My need to constantly explain my topic has given me much opportunity to asses my feelings about it and just how interested I really am in it. Thankfully I feel like I’ve chosen something that I’m both excited about and also that I feel is relevant to current issues facing museums today.
The mission of my thesis is to better understand community curation and alternative forms of curatorial practice, which fall under the umbrella of collaborative curation. I’m interested in this topic because of its potential of community engagement, shared collective wisdom, and meaning making for museum visitors and community members.
Now where do I begin? Today I reacquainted myself with my thesis proposal, mission, and goals. I also checked out a book from the library, which I intend to read over the next week and add to my ever growing literature review. I identified a Philadelphia institution, the Asian Arts Initiative, that I think has a mission which aligns with my interests and goals. The Initiative has a community gallery space, which is one sector of my study. I emailed the Exhibitions Coordinator about a potential meeting/informational interview. I would like to begin this process by speaking to as many institutions and scholars as possible. This will broaden my knowledge and keep me informed.
Tomorrow I plan on re-examining my thesis timetable and mapping out a to do list and goals for the following month of June. I intend to post a blog entry about my thesis findings AT LEAST once a week. I’m hoping that this commitment will in turn keep me on the thesis track.
Till next time.
Thesis Evolution 