Curatorial Projects
Illuminating History: The Australian Searchlight Women of World War II
This exhibition honoured the contributions of women in World War II with a spotlight on women who operated searchlights within Australia, as this particular type of work is often overlooked in favour of other tasks women undertook during the war. I wanted to highlight the lesser known history.
I managed all aspects of this exhibition, including, applying for a Saluting Their Service Grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs ($51,000), managing the grant finances, acquitting the grant, researching the history, curation, exhibition planning, exhibition design, video editing, writing an accompanying book, developing all exhibition texts, exhibition installation, commissioning and working with two local artists and developing a public program.
CellBlock
Utilising grants from the Alice Springs Town Council I developed and curated an immersive Artist in Residence program within the historic prison cells of the Old Gaol.
A large cell was transformed into an artist studio, providing a place for artists to come and work. Another large cell was transformed into a working dark room for photographs to be developed by the artists in residence.
Once the artists’ work was completed the entire men’s prison was transformed into an exhibition space for the three artists who had been selected as part of the program.
The artists engaged with themes of incarceration, surveillance, and the justice system, generating new narratives for a part of the Women’s Museum of Australia and Old Gaol (Alice Springs) that had long been underrepresented. Through their work, the project sought to illuminate overlooked histories, provoke reflection, and expand the museum’s storytelling in this space.
Responsibilities within this project included, managing the grant finances including acquittal, liaising with artists, sourcing materials, promoting the program through local media, organising interviews, and presenting a curatorial talk at the opening.
Theses
Master of Art Curatorship Research Report:
Women in the Australian Museums Sector: What are the experiences of women navigating career paths in the Australian Museums Sector?
Honours Thesis:
In 2018, I completed my thesis titled: Vespasiano da Bisticci’s consideration of how two prominent men operated their power and influence in the Republic of Florence in the fifteenth century, as part of my Bachelor of Arts History (Honours) at Monash University.
Abstract
Typically, history is seen through the eyes of those in power, and this leads to a history shaped by the winners and influencers in society. Vespasiano was an ordinary citizen who owned a bookstore frequented by the most powerful and influential citizens in the fifteenth century. This thesis analyses Vespasiano’s introduction to the book, and the chapters on Cosimo de Medici and Palla Strozzi, two men who were highly powerful within the Florentine political system. Vespasiano’s account is used to understand how the ordinary Florentine understood the political system and the world they were living in, it challenges the traditional narrative of Cosimo and Palla’s roles in fifteenth century Florence.
Curatorial Compass 