Intern Projects

“Walker Wisdom” Podcast Series

Developed by Andrew Tran ’26, Summer 2023 Education and Shop Assistant, this podcast series explores the lives of different staff members in the Bowdoin College Museum of Art. This project aims to increase the visibility of the Museum and solidify the institution as an educational resource welcoming to all perspectives and audiences.

Often, there is the perception that the “army” handling the operations behind museum exhibitions and artifacts remain hidden behind the curtain. The podcast will include an intro episode and 13 interview episodes; each is be 12-20 minutes long. I ask willing staff members about how they individually found their way to the museum field, how they envisioned art becoming part of their careers, their daily tasks, the obstacles they face during events (such as Night at the Museum and the Summer Opening), and how their jobs differ during the academic term and summer period, among other topics.

Explore the podcast series here: https://courses.bowdoin.edu/walker-wisdom-2023/

Looking Closer: A Collection Without Labels

Created by Summer Education and Shop Assistant, Gavin Sychterz ’25, Looking Closer is designed to introduce a new way to explore and appreciate artworks from the Bowdoin College Museum of Art’s permanent collection. The goal of this project is to challenge convention and encourage a diverse and enriched understanding of art through an interactive platform that moves beyond conventional curatorial labels.

In many museums, curatorial labels guide viewers towards a singular avenue of interpretation. Often, the voice of a select few individuals or museum authority dominates, leaving little room for individual imagination and creative thinking. This approach can inadvertently limit the richness and multitudes of perspectives that art can inspire. Looking Closer aims to break free from these constraints and empower the viewer to uncover the multitude of ways to enjoy and find meaning in art. Instead of traditional labels, a captivating array of artworks from the Museum’s diverse collection is displayed through the page “Artwork Gallery.” Each piece will be identified solely by its accession number, leaving a blank canvas for exploration.

Visit the website here: https://courses.bowdoin.edu/art-museum-label-project-2023/

Composer’s Concert at the Museum

Summer Education Intern, Tessa Frank ’23, compiles interviews, photo and video documentations for Bowdoin International Music Festival (BIMF)’s Composer’s Concert at the Museum series. This summer features the talented composers Sam Wu, Kai Kubota-Enright, (Luís) Daniel Jiménez Rojas, Younje Cho, Zihan Wu, Sami Seif, Xiaofeng Jiang, Benjamin Norbrook, and Kate Ragan; each musician selected a work of art on view at the BCMA to craft their original composition.

Visit the website here:

https://courses.bowdoin.edu/bimf-composers-concerts/

Summer 2021 Intern Presentations

Summer interns at the BCMA discuss their internship experience this summer and share their personal highlights from working at the Bowdoin College Museum of Art. The presentation give a behind-the-scenes look at the student internship program and the diverse range of curatorial, educational, and research projects.

The 2021 Bowdoin student interns are: Thais Carrillo ’23, Darien Gillespie ’24, Katie King ’23, Amira Oguntoyinbo ’24, Cameron Snow ’22, Lily Weafer ’23, and Cheng Xing ’23. Presented by the Bowdoin College Museum of Art. Recorded on August 11, 2021.

Winslow Homer: The Man Himself

As Special Projects Intern at BCMA, Sebastian Gilligan-Kim ’19 conducted research and produced this short documentary. The project coincided with the exhibition “Winslow Homer and the Camera: Photography and the Art of Painting” and was inspired by Sebastian’s keen interest in Homer, Homer’s work, and the artist’s famously cantankerous persona. The film comprises Homer related images and artifacts found in the BCMA collection as well as interviews with experts from both the Bowdoin community and the broader community of Homer scholars. It explores such themes as Homer’s artistic trajectory, the context for his creativity, and why artists create.

Watch here: https://vimeo.com/594854635

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