Assisting the installation of Another Crossing at The Box

I had the privilege to assist with the installation of Another Crossing at the Box in Plymouth. This experience meant handling the works of the artists involved, being a part of installing their works within the space, playing with positions and lighting to ensure the best final view of the pieces on show.

To understand the show in more depth, and translate this same level of understanding to all of the Box’s volunteers I underwent more research into the artists and the concept behind the show. This was such a valuable exercise for many reasons, firstly to understand the exhibition on another level and to provide volunteers with as much refined information as possible as a means to give them confidence to speak about the exhibition to viewers.

This exhibition is a revisit of the Mayflower crossing, recognizing the 400th anniversary of the voyage from Plymouth to the Americas. With a selection of ten chosen artists from the USA, Europe and UK, all under the instruction of curator Glenn Adamson that the works created for the show must be created by 17th century craft techniques to produce creative responses to the Mayflower crossing. The responses included a range of works that showed the debunking of the myths of the crossing, speaking to the social responsibilities of the materials and techniques used, the works also showed the various impacts that the crossing had, for some it meant the settlement of their families, for others it was a symbol of mass colonisation and the mistreatment of the Wampanoag peoples, illustrating imperialism and cultural ruin.

The installation of the show was fascinating, gaining an understanding of how each work and its placement within the space would affect the other works around it, thinking about how they spoke to one another; how they add to a narrative and enhance the message they wish to convey; how one artist's story and work would emphasise another. A real example of putting my knowledge learnt through the MA Curation: Art and Business to practice.

This travelling exhibition was first showcased at the Fuller Museum in Massachusetts, and now at The Box in Plymouth. The importance of this is to connect the places involved in this crossing to bridge the myths, giving voice to those affected, honouring the histories and stories of the Wampanoag tribe. It is important to shine light on the Mayflower voyage, and to look beyond the myth that is often relayed to us, as many in America celebrate Thanksgiving, for the native tribes in the Americas this is a national day of mourning and this needs to be understood: how our routes have affected so many lives and the cultural impact the Mayflower voyage still has today. This is an excellent example of how art can be a vehicle to educate and re-write local and international history in an honest and insightful way.

Emily Cartwright

Read the other articles in the MA Curation Internship Blog Series here.