Roles and privileges of a particular profession: curator at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Canada

Ottawa-Sonia Del Re is the main conservative of the Drawings. Therefore, Prints Service of the Museum of Fine Arts in Canada (MBAC). Similarly, ONFR went to meet him to understand what his work consists of, with various, but hyperspecalized tasks.

It is difficult to explain to an uninitiated what a curator does. Moreover, since the mission varies greatly according to the institution and the collection for which we are responsible. In addition to museums. Therefore, it is also possible to work for commercial galleries, auction houses, large companies (corporate collections) or even individuals. Meanwhile, From the outset, Sonia del Re explains to us that the interview can only focus on her own experience.

However. Nevertheless. Similarly. Meanwhile, she sums up: “The museum’s conservative is responsible for the physical and intellectual care of a collection, and roles privileges particular profession: curator new to roles privileges particular profession: curator new disseminate the collection, whether through exhibitions, publications, etc. Moreover. Therefore. Consequently, roles privileges particular profession: curator He or she also has the task of enriching the collection, either by shopping or receiving donations. Similarly, »»

In her case. For example. Similarly. Furthermore, she takes care of works on paper, a material “both vulnerable and very resilient” which must be manipulated with great care. Nevertheless, This huge national collection has around 30,000 works, covering five centuries of history and roughly all the continents. In addition. Nevertheless, The big difference with her colleagues in contemporary art roles privileges particular profession: curator new is that Sonia Del Re cannot meet with the artists. Furthermore, all deceased.

It still happens roles privileges particular profession: curator new to her to discover that she did roles privileges particular. profession: curator not yet know. Moreover, The best indication for determining the quality of drawings or prints is their state of conservation. Consequently, “If a work of art has survived today, it is not an accident. Similarly, »»

This is often lonely work. Moreover. research in archives. including the “largest art history library in the country”, which is located in the MBAC and constitutes its main research tool.

The curator also creates her own knowledge roles privileges particular profession: curator new by publishing the results of her research. for example in exhibition catalogs, “what remains of an exhibition for posterity. However. The latter roles privileges particular profession: curator new find themselves mainly in museum. university libraries, but are also roles privileges particular profession: curator sold at the museum store.

Roles privileges particular profession: curator new

Roles privileges particular profession: curator new

Roles privileges particular profession: curator – Roles privileges particular. profession: curator new

Essential skills – Roles privileges particular profession: curator

For the institution. employment stability is a major asset. Posting since 2004, Sonia Del Re has an unequaled level of knowledge of the collection, the library and its own research.

“Institutional memory is super important. (…) We must know not only the history that precedes us. but also our own story, because we refer to it quite often. »»

Sonia del Re has a master’s degree in museology at the University roles privileges particular profession: curator new of Montreal. as well as a doctorate in art history at McGill University, also in the Quebec metropolis.

Passion and memory are part of the essential qualities. “I have an ability to remember dates, names, places, events, etc. »»

You have to be a library rat. and a little detective, to take care of such a collection of ancient art. “When you are looking for artists who died hundreds of years (…) We do not have their writings, we do not roles privileges particular profession: curator new have their thoughts, we cannot speak to them. You really have to love research a lot. »»

French, a major language

The four main languages in art history are French, English, Italian and German. Born in Montreal to Italian parents. Sonia Del Re already master three, which was a roles privileges particular profession: curator new requirement to complete her doctorate.

“It enriches my work because everything I do. I do it in both, roles privileges particular profession: curator even three languages. »»

Being French -speaking is therefore an asset to carry out in -depth research or to meet the Canadian public. Sonia Del Re says that when her exhibitions went through Canada, Francophones come to thank her.

The curator gives as an example her exhibition Leafcurrently installed at the. Audain Art Museum in Whistler. British Columbia. “It is an institution where normally, the texts are only in English. But as it is an exhibition of the MBAC (…) they must adapt to the MBAC model. »»

The main agent. public. media roles privileges particular profession: curator new relations at MBAC Josée-Britie Mallet. who attends the interview, recalls that everything is bilingual in the institution: reception, exhibition catalogs, guided roles privileges particular profession: curator tours, etc. She invites the French -speaking public to further appropriate the museum of all Canadians. “Francophones benefit from knowing the museum. They do not come enough in large numbers, ”she deplores.

Daily

By being responsible for some 30,000 works, Sonia Del Re can imagine exhibitions “on practically any subject. »»

Between research, writing, reception of works and developing roles privileges particular profession: curator new exhibitions, dead time is rare.

To enrich the collection, the curator collaborates with private collectors. Donations can be “mutually beneficial”. that is to say that they offer collector a greater visibility. and that they roles privileges particular profession: curator new enrich the national collection. “It is also the great privilege of working in a federal museum is that we have a national mission. that the roles privileges particular profession: curator profession we do and the collections we manage is for Canadians. »»

It is also possible to buy works by attending art fairs. often in Paris, London or New York. The MBAC has a budget of eight million dollars per year for all of its collections. This amount may seem impressive, but has not moved for three decades, while market prices have increased.

However. this means that “regardless roles privileges particular profession: curator new of economic reality. the museum continues to enrich itself and enrich the Canadian collection,” explains Sonia roles privileges particular profession: curator Del Re.

The place of women in art history

His current project: to build a collection of works made by women before 1800. “These are artists who are quite difficult to spot, who have been little collected by institutions until roles privileges particular profession: curator new now. This means, however, that there are still works on the market. »»

If these works are particularly popular with great museums today. their quantity is clearly less compared to the old works produced by men. Easy to take care of children. there are many women who have been able to make a career in the arts.

“There will never be a parity, states the curator. It is a historical fact, we cannot remedy it. »»

As roles privileges particular profession: curator new for museum conservators. Sonia Del Re is proud to direct a collection that has almost always been carried out by women.

The first to occupy this post is the Englishman Kathleen Mr. Fenwick, who became a hundred years ago the first museum conservative woman in Canada. She remained at the head of the collection for 40 years.

At that time. employment was even more prestigious. considered to be the second roles privileges particular profession: curator new post in importance roles privileges particular profession: curator to the MBAC. The museum has grown since. but Sonia Del Re still has the title of manager of the drawings. prints service with pride, for more than 20 years.