What does a “curator” do? First part

With the theme of "Possibilities of space creation now and in the future"
Dialogue project to interview various pioneers and challengers
The theme of this time is "curator" and "space produce planner"
This second article delves deeper into the work of curators

Museums and galleries where various exhibitions and projects are held. You may know the existence of the curator who works there. But what exactly is a curator? What are you doing in a museum or art gallery?
In the second interview article with Mr. Nakagawa, we will unravel the depth that is immeasurable from the outside.
* Click here for the interview article with Mr. Nakagawa and the first article written by Mr. Yuki Shimokuni

The road to becoming a curator

Horii
Continuing from the discussion with Mr. Shimokuni about the creation of exhibitions, I would like to hear about curators. First of all, Mr. Nakagawa, please tell us about your path to becoming a curator.

Nakagawa
Looking back, I have loved history since I was in the upper grades of elementary school. For example, there was a program called History Birth that was broadcast on NHK, and I was already hooked.
Around the same time, the Yoshinogari ruins, which were said to be related to Yamatai, were discovered, and my mother took me to Saga Prefecture to see them. I also silently copied the genealogy of ancient emperors (laughs). Even in my studies, I liked the history class the most and got the best grades in social studies. On the contrary, the science was absolutely perfect.

How did you find your way to becoming a curator?

Horii
So, did that direct interest lead to your career as a curator?

Nakagawa
To be honest, it's actually a little different. I've been learning piano since I was little, and I thought I'd go down the path of music in the future. So, history was a substream for me until junior high school.
When I entered high school, I decided not to pursue a career in music. . Most of my high school friends were like that. That's why I chose history.
Then, when I pursued my chosen field of study all the way to graduate school, I thought that I had to pursue a career in the research field as an extension of that. If I didn't do that, my parents who paid my tuition fees wouldn't be able to convince me.

Horii
It's great~ It's amazing.

Nakagawa
At that time, for some reason, I thought that was the only option. If I had known a company like NOMURA Co., Ltd., I might have taken a different path. It was a path like stacking up very thin building blocks. I was lucky that I happened to find a job on the path of historical research.

Mr. Nakagawa is also very interested in the bookshelves in NOMURA Co., Ltd. 's office building.

What is the image of curators from others?

Horii
Now, when you say, "My job is to be a curator," how do you generally perceive it?

Nakagawa
For example, if you tell a friend of yours, "I'm a curator," they'll say, "Isn't that the person standing in that exhibition room?"

Horii
After all (laugh) image is that.

Nakagawa
When acquaintances sometimes come to the museum, they tell me that they didn't know where I was. After all, when I say that I work at a museum, people think that I'm either cutting tickets or standing guard. Most people think that they are only visible.

Horii
When you say that, do you give specific corrections and explanations?

Nakagawa
"I'll be in the back. If you call me, I'll come out, so call me anytime." Also, when I'm not at the museum, I say "I'm on a truck." It means that you are on a truck and transporting works. I don't think you can sympathize if you don't say it in an easy-to-understand way. I'm looking at the work, I'm researching it, but it doesn't make sense.

Mr. Shimokuni from the first article joins in as the interview progresses.

A curator is a person who understands charm
Leading the creation of exhibitions

Horii
The work of a curator includes research and preservation of materials, as well as exhibitions and educational dissemination.
On the other hand, as an exhibition creator, we at NOMURA Co., Ltd. Ltd. work together with the curators to think about the contents of the exhibition, design the exhibition room, and sometimes write explanatory texts.
Therefore, I think there is a difference in the process between when curators, who are experts, think about an exhibition, and when we, exhibition planners, who are not academics, think about an exhibition. Are you there?

Exhibition creation by curators and exhibition planners with different perspectives

Nakagawa
Even though I'm a curator, I don't just exhibit in my own field of expertise. For example, in our museum, Buddhist art is an essential element, so from my point of view, even if it's in a different field, I'll do my best to study it and make use of it in the exhibition. In doing so, we are basically immersed in the methodology of that field. After learning the standard perspective from an expert's point of view, it means thinking about the perspective for the exhibition. At an exhibition, it's not interesting to throw the research results at a straight ball, and you want to draw a new story that is unique to the exhibition. It's like changing the existing framework into a different dish.

Horii
Is that so. Exhibition planners are not experts in any field, so they tend to suddenly think from a different angle. For example, in the case of an exhibition dealing with strata, the characteristics of the area where the stratum is located, or the visual impression of the stratum. Due to the nature of my work, I often think together with curators and supervising teachers who have specialized knowledge, so I may have the idea of asking them to teach me academic things.

Nakagawa
I see. For me, my research and approach is the same, even if I study other fields for the sake of exhibiting. In order to know a certain thing, I want to know its background, so I research everything related to it.

Horii
So, when Mr. Nakagawa works with an exhibition planner to plan an exhibition, do you want the planner to learn the basics of the field in the same way?

Nakagawa
no! On the contrary, cut from an angle that I don't expect! That is my expectation for exhibition planners. Even people who have no knowledge at all will find interesting ideas! I would like to work with someone who No matter how many ideas you come up with, if your heart still doesn't flutter, change! I think....

Horii
I'm afraid of change... Even though we are not experts, we believe that we must study to some extent. In fact, there are surprisingly few cases like Mr. Nakagawa who say, "I want to do an exhibition like this, so please give me an idea." , It's a tsukeyaki blade, but I still need to study on this side.

The content of the exhibition is led by the curator.

Nakagawa
The reason why I don't ask exhibition planners for their knowledge is because I believe that only an expert can explain the appeal of things. In the past, when I expressed my opinions and hopes in response to the proposals of the exhibition planners, they reflected what I had said on the spot. In fact, there are many charms hidden in the surrounding area, but of course there are parts that cannot be talked about, and planners will not be able to pick them up. That kind of thing is not listed in any book. In that case, I think it would be better for the curator to lead the content of the exhibition.
On the other hand, the curator's knowledge of the world is narrow, so you may expect the exhibition planner to have a wide range of knowledge. An unexpected fusion, a new spark, and so on. The depth is like a curator, and the breadth is like an exhibition planner.
►Continued to Part 2​

(Photo by Hideki Sato)

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★ The latest book written by Mr. Nakagawa, "You can enjoy it just by looking at it! Garbage Encyclopedia of Heijo-kyo Life in the Nara Period as Seen through the Latest Research”
Supervised by Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties
Kawade Shobo Shinsha http://www.kawade.co.jp/np/isbn/9784309226880/

――――Is this garbage from the Nara period?
The "garbage" unearthed during the excavation tells a rich story about the diet and lifestyle of the people of the Nara period!
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