Lifting the veil: BGSU students step behind the scenes of professional curating

BGSU exhibition "Italy in the Artist's Imagination" provides students with total access to the curatorial process

By Branden Ferguson

For senior art history major Jamie Cox, a degree from Bowling Green State University is more than a credential – it is a portfolio of professional achievements. Cox has spent the past year researching international archives, editing professional catalogues, and physically installing museum-grade exhibitions.

At BGSU, the largest accredited state art school in Ohio, the philosophy is simple: students don’t just study art history; they practice it.

Cox’s journey from theory to practice took her across the globe and back. After receiving the Mary T. Wolfe Primavera Scholarship, she traveled to Florence, Italy, for an intensive six-week seminar taught by BGSU art history professor Allie Terry-Fritsch, Ph.D. She returned not just with knowledge, but with the momentum to execute a professional-level project.

“Freshly back from my six weeks abroad, I was extremely excited to hear that we were going to be working on an exhibition titled 'Italy in the Artist’s Imagination,” said Cox. “I knew the exhibition would closely reflect real-world, museum-grade standards. Our faculty constantly incorporate professional experiences into teaching and research, setting a strong example for students.”

Under the guidance of Terry-Fritsch, students managed nearly every stage of the curatorial process for the exhibition held in the Dorothy Uber Bryan Gallery:

• Primary research: Investigating artworks from the University’s permanent collection.
• Cataloging: Documenting and archiving museum-quality pieces.
• Exhibition design: Planning and executing the physical installation layout.
• Museum education and outreach: Developing and performing guided tours and arts events for the public.

"For many students, this was their first experience curating a museum-quality exhibition,” Terry-Fritsch said. “This kind of hands-on experience is invaluable for students because it lifts the veil and exposes students to ‘real life’ scenarios that allow them to have an advantage once they graduate and go into professional careers.”

As students developed the exhibition, Terry-Fritsch drew on her experience curating high-profile shows – in museums in Washington D.C., Los Angeles, New York and Chicago – to introduce them to the ins and outs of staging a professional art exhibition. She recently returned from Florence, Italy, where she participated in the curation of an exhibition on Renaissance artist Fra Angelico, which inspired the theme of the BGSU exhibition.

As the chief editor of the catalogue for the exhibition, Cox not only researched and wrote entries about the artworks from the University's permanent collection, but also was tasked with ensuring the accuarcy and quality of her student-peers' research and entries.

“Every piece of writing within the catalogue was either written or edited by me,” said Cox. “Uniquely, I was also responsible for co-writing an essay about my time in Florence, and helped with the installation of the exhibition. The chief editor position opened my eyes to the possibilities of the behind-the-scenes jobs that could be in my future.”

The exhibition was met with what Terry-Fritsch described as “remarkable enthusiasm,” with attendance numbers exceeding expectations for a university show.

“I have developed and taught quite a few high-impact, hands-on seminars like this one over my two decades at BGSU,” said Terry-Fritsch. “These exhibitions are my favorite seminars to teach because they are so intensive and have the potential for such transformation in student skills and mental growth.”

Cox has already seen the professional impact of the experience. Through her work on the exhibition, Cox was recruited by renowned ceramics artist and BGSU professor John Balistreri to intern and assist with a catalogue for an exhibition at the upcoming NCECA conference in Detroit.

“My experience gained and dedication shown in 'Italy in the Artist’s Imagination' resulted in my current internship and future opportunities,” said Cox. “I am now communicating and organizing with more than 60 artists for the upcoming ceramics exhibition titled ‘Mass Movements.’ I am applying the skills I learned during my time as chief editor to plan, organize and help produce the Detroit show.”