20190909_MUN_PracticasMCS

The Philosophy Learning by doing (Learning by doing is one of the maxims of the Master in Curatorial Studies. From the beginning of postgraduate program, students become residents at the Museo Universidad de Navarra for nine months during which, in addition to the theoretical classes, they get to know and take part in the different areas of the museum through the subject internship Museo Lab. In addition, after their graduation last May, the 24 students began their internships in different museums, art centers and cultural institutions in Spain and countries such as the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom and Mexico, among others.

 

Thanks to this period, the students have had the opportunity to get to know different artistic projects and put on internship the knowledge acquired at Master's Degree. Cristina Esteras, a 24-year-old graduate in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage from Santander, has traveled to New York to fill in her training.

 There, in what for many is the contemporary art capital of the world, she has worked as an exhibition assistant at the Bronx Museum, located in the genuine neighborhood from which it takes its name. "I've learned a lot about both the internships and the city. Living here for a few months has allowed me to enjoy the city's wide range of offerings with time, meet artists, rediscover works, visit the same space several times and smaller exhibition spaces with unconventional venues and locations," she explains.

 

During her stay, she has participated in the production of the exhibition The life and times of Alvin Baltropworking with the artist's materials that were donated to the museum. "The biggest challenge has been getting a clear sense of place, knowing the context of the museum and consequently thinking about how to design its programming. By collaborating on exhibitions, talking to the museum's staff and people in the neighborhood I've gotten to know how the neighborhood and this center fit into the city."

LEARN AND REINFORCE KNOWLEDGE

For Juan Antonio Robles, a 29-year-old architect from Guatemala, the experience has been "unique": "The Fundació Per Amor a l'Art opened its doors to me and let me be part of the work team at its Bombas Gens center(Valencia). My internship was focused on area exhibitions but I could also be part of some activities of their youth center, administrative tasks... I was enriched and acquired many new skills and others that have reinforced what I learned at Master's Degree".

Robles got to know this center thanks to its director, Nuria Enguita, a teacher at postgraduate program, who shared with the students the history of this project. "I fell in love, not only because the museum is located in a completely renovated old factory, an incredible architectural project , but also because of its Philosophy of work. It is a center that involves its immediate surroundings and has a projection towards the community. Contemporary art and history coexist there as well".

For him, one of the main challenges has been his work in the organization and mounting of the sample Inheritance. Las Alquerías de la Huerta de Valencia.. "It was the first time I had contact with archaeological pieces. Working alongside Paloma Berrocal, in charge of area of Archaeology, was a privilege, as she taught me how to handle, classify and document historical objects, while telling me the story behind them. I enjoyed it very much".

FOCUS ON THE ROAD

For Teresa Reina, a 24-year-old from San Sebastian with a degree in Journalism and History, and Fátima Vicente, a 23-year-old from Barcelona with a degree in Philosophy, the internship has also been an enriching experience. Reina traveled to Venice to work at department on Cultural Mediation at the European Cultural Center: "I was lucky enough to get to know the Biennale. It is an environment that attracts a lot of attention for the coexistence of the most current artistic expressions with classic spaces, the typical Venetian palazzos. I was delighted to see very daring displays and how they experiment with other formats".

For her part, Vicente, who did her internship at The Barber Institute of Fine Arts (Birmingham, UK), emphasizes "the autonomy with which I have been able to work and the trust they have placed in me. From the moment I arrived, I knew I had to make project my own, deciding where I wanted to start from and what sources to use, supervised by Robert Wenley, director of the Collection". He also highlights his participation in a project of research: "It was very interesting: the institution acquired a painting by Francisco de Goya y Lucientes in 1940, when it was accepted that it was a work by the Aragonese artist. Unfortunately, it is not, so I am working on getting as close as possible to who the author is, the woman portrayed and her owners. Quite an experience!".

Both students agree on the positive experience and the challenge that has meant doing the internship abroad, adapting to a different context and customs. In addition, they value the importance of the management of time, since, while in the research "there are no immediate results, nothing goes fast", as Vicente points out, "the day-to-day work of the commissioner goes faster and you must make decisions efficiently", says Reina.

In both cases, they also emphasize the contribution of these professional experiences to their future in the art world. "I have learned to work autonomously and to approach issues from multiple perspectives. It has also helped me to clarify where I want to focus my professional future," says the student from Barcelona. "As a future curator it has given me a notebook full of inspiration that I hope to be able to use soon," confides her colleague.