Video Self-Portrait Projectat the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art
Video portraits paired with personal narratives were displayed in the gallery and around Manhattan, Kansas.
Fragile Vessels,Physical Memories
This multipart evening event, inspired by Felix Gonzalez-Torres' “Untitled” (L.A.), included the pilot of an ongoing opportunity for the Wheaton College community to submit physical and digital items to a dedicated queer archive held in the library.
Photos courtesy of Beard and Weil Galleries, Wheaton College
Funding Categories
Contract Labor
Honoraria
Marketing & Outreach
Printing
Travel & Lodging
Supplies
partner
Beard and Weil Galleries, Wheaton College
location
Norton, MA
Photo courtesy of the Beard and Weil Galleries.
Photo courtesy of the Beard and Weil Galleries.
About
The Beard and Weil Galleries hosted an event that brought together the Wheaton College LGBTQ+ community, including students, alumni, faculty, staff, and families. Attendees created art, heard from artists about their work and connection to Felix Gonzalez-Torres, and shared stories in a StoryCorps-style booth for the purpose of archiving. Attendees were invited to add to the archive with stories and submissions of physical and digital items. The event, planned by a working group of students, faculty, and staff, also included music and dance performances by student groups and aimed to expand the archive of LGBTQ+ histories at Wheaton College. Community members and visitors to the galleries continued to add to the queer archive while the work was on view. The archive is now held in the university library for continued access and growth.
Photo courtesy of the Beard and Weil Galleries.
Photo courtesy of the Beard and Weil Galleries.
Intended Outcome
With its Fragile Vessels, Physical Memories activity, the Beard and Weil Galleries aimed to show support for and demonstrate the artistic excellence of LGBTQ+ communities. The space aimed to engage 250 participants with this program.
Actual Outcome
The Beard and Weil Galleries created strong partnerships with LGBTQIA+ organizations, students, and faculty members on campus that will continue after this program. It also created a space for LGBTQIA+ stories to be preserved and shared. The gallery served 120 attendees.
Advice Post Project
Museums looking to foster inclusion and expand representation should consider creating community-centered programs that celebrate and archive underrepresented histories. Collaborate with community members to co-create events that invite storytelling, artistic expression, and performance.
Photo courtesy of the Beard and Weil Galleries.
Discover More
Wadsworth’sSocial Story
By collaborating with community experts, such as Autism Families CONNECTicut and Autism Services & Resources Connecticut, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art developed a digital social story outlining a visit to the museum for neurodivergent individuals and their families. The social story includes a visual narrative with photographs of museum entrances, staff members who support visitors in the galleries, different spaces in the museum, and suggestions for how to move through the museum.
Discover More
Video Self-Portrait Projectat the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art
Video portraits paired with personal narratives were displayed in the gallery and around Manhattan, Kansas.
Wadsworth’sSocial Story
By collaborating with community experts, such as Autism Families CONNECTicut and Autism Services & Resources Connecticut, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art developed a digital social story outlining a visit to the museum for neurodivergent individuals and their families. The social story includes a visual narrative with photographs of museum entrances, staff members who support visitors in the galleries, different spaces in the museum, and suggestions for how to move through the museum.
Learn MoreAbout This Activity
Photos courtesy of Beard and Weil Galleries, Wheaton College