Wearable Art: An Upcoming Exhibition of the Susan Grant Lewin Collection at the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum
Curatorial Capstone project by Sebastian Grant
Description: In a process of experimentation for the HDCS’s first Curatorial Capstone Project, this presentation would like to explore my experiences of working with Cooper Hewitt curators on the upcoming Susan Grant Lewin Jewelry Exhibition in the span of a year, and the conclusions derived from this hands-on experience of curatorial practice. In addition, this presentation would like to discuss some of the main curatorial questions that have become integral to our discussion of exhibiting art jewelry, including the role of art jewelry in the liminal point between art and design, and the questions of the relationship between jewelry and the body, as interpreted from various contemporary points of view.
SG’s reflection: The Curatorial Capstone Project provided me with a fantastic experience of working in a true curatorial setting in the Cooper Hewitt. From the day-to- day tasks of correspondence and administration with leading contemporary jewelry designers, to hands-on work with the exhibition objects themselves, the Capstone Project led me to discover all the great endeavors that are involved when creating an exhibition. The project also helped me develop my skills in critical thinking, as we regularly tackled important curatorial questions relating to research, exhibition design, and the dissemination of information to a public audience. As I approach the end of the project, I am absolutely grateful to have become a part of this intriguing experience that I found has been extremely valuable to my growth as a budding curator.
