Projects
- The Kiribati WarriorBwai ni Buaka (full Kiribati armour) like the one shown were created up until the late 1800s, and became less popular when European arrivals attempted to pacify the pocket of Islands known as Kiribati. Spreading across 3.5 million square feet, and extending across all four hemispheres, the 32 low lying atolls and one raised atoll of Kiribati are under constant threat of rising sea levels, causing resources and land to be in scarce supply. Schisms between clans/chiefs erupted in the 15th century(
- Pacific Masterpieces: Focus on Tapa case installationTapa cloth is a multipurpose cloth typically associated to the Islands of the Pacific. Each island tends to have its own unique way of manufacture, design and use for barkcloths which lends itelf to either everyday or ceremonial use. Tapa is made from local tree bark where it is grown, stripped, and dried. The manufacture of tapa cloth can either be created by beating felting or gluing pieces together with tree gums to create a canvas. After the base layer is complete, patterns are applied onto the top side, and are either stamped, drawn, painted or dyed to create symmetrical designs. A tapa mat is typically painted on one side, and forms part of the outer layer of design for clothing, wall decorations, ceremonial mats or bed covers. Tapa is not very durable in wet weather as it made like paper, and will shrink, disintergrate or warp. Tapa was typically created for everyday functions such as for clothing, but since the introduction of synthetic fibres and cottons, people now favour tapa for decorative purposes, and they still regarded as part of a high value exchange system of goods in ceremonial contexts. A man can measure his wealth through how many tapa mats he has, rather than by his monetary assets.
- Re-housing project of feather headresses from VanuatuPart of the job as Collection Manager, Human History is to oversee the day-to-day running of the collection behind the scenes. This includes accessioning new acquisitions that have been brought into the Museum, arranging onsite viewings for public and professional enquiries, and the preventative conservation of objects already held in the Ethnology/Pacific Collection. Through a running audit, any maintenance the collection may need can be seen. Working with Pacific Curator, Fuli Pereira, we carry out surveys of collections from individual island groups, starting with Vanuatu. This process includes taking high resolution photographs of each object, updating their descriptions in our database, and re-housing at-risk objects.
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Work history
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Assistant RegistrarImperial War Museums
Lambeth Rd, London SE1, UKFull Time
I was offered this fee paid role on a two month basis, to support the lending activity between the Imperial War Museums and external borrowers. I assist the registry team to create new short term loans in and out, issue loan renewals, and address long term historic loan issues.
This role requires a meticulous attention to detail and understanding the legalities of loan between internal and external vendors, but also the legalities surrounding hazardous loans out including firearms and war material.
I work in a cross functional team environment researching titles of ownership, commissioning updated condition reports from conservation and supporting the curatorial team with updating valuations of loan items.
This role has taught me how to properly endorse a loan agreement before issue in regards to appropriate insurance/indemnity and how best to address borrowers when an item they have borrowed requires legal certification.
This is the first role I have had in the United Kingdom, so I have had to learn the inner workings of a National Museum as well as how they manage their collections through Adlib collection systems and barcoding software.
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Collections ManagerAuckland Museum
- Auckland, New ZealandFull Time
• Assisted with the planning and prioritization of gallery object decant and relocations, consulting closely with the Object Rotation team and relevant collection area Curators.
• Researched, identified and developed long and short lists of suitable collection objects to replace at-risk items currently on display.
• Packed and handled collection items to set museum standards.
• Ensured all collection items were removed safely and installed with care and to the highest possible standards and in a safe and timely manner.
• Motivated the team to work in a positive manner when dealing with time sensitive and taxing tasks.
• Drove the project by assisting the Project Manager to create a program of delivery in terms of people and monetary resourcing.
• Researched and edited label text for the refreshment of the gallery content especially ensuring the correct use of indigenous terminology was used where possible.
• Collated exhibition material for the website, and worked with the Marketing Department to ensure information about exhibition refreshes was available internally and externally via blogs and social media posts.
• Developed gallery maintenance plans for new objects on display and advised exhibition teams of ongoing rotation plans.
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Skills
- Collection Database
- Conservation
- Adobe Photoshop
- Photography
- Arts Culture
- Ethnographic Research
- Art Handling
- Art Exhibition
- Exhibition Planning
- Installation Art
Education
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Post-graduate Massey University
- Palmerston North, New Zealand
Alongside my role as a Collection Care technician, I also completed a Post-Graduate Diploma in Museum Studies from Massey University.
This qualification focused on museological theory in relation to preventative conservation, collection management, private collecting and the rationalisation of contemporary collecting behaviour in the arts and heritage sector. My diploma gave me me a solid foundation for the parameters of preventative conservation, especially in the understanding of material vulnerabilities, and the ethics behind prolonging the artificial life of objects especially those of an organic nature.
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BAThe University of Auckland
- Auckland, New Zealand
As well as working at Auckland Museum, I studied at the University of Auckland completing a Bachelors degree with a double major in Anthropology and Ancient History. My focus of this course was the Archaelogy of Ancient Rome and Greece, and the material culture these civilsations produced.