The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF) is seeking to provide an advanced level (MA, MFA, or PhD) candidate in art history, new media, digital humanities, or other related fields with an unprecedented opportunity to apply technological, museological, and pedagogical skills and knowledge to the work of engaging the public in our exhibitions and programming through our new Digital Media Interpretive Fellowship. The focal point of the 2012-2013 Fellowship will be on the development and implementation of advanced multi-media presentations - including documentary photography and video production, mobile app, tablet computing, and Augmented Reality technologies - for the purpose of elucidating and documenting the restoration of an 18
th
Century period room at the Legion of Honor museum. The goal of the Fellowship is to encourage scholars and emerging practitioners in art history, new media, digital humanities, or other related fields to consider an interpretive career in an art museum, whether as a future educator or curator.
The Fellowship Project:
The focus of the 2012-2013 Digital Media Interpretive Fellowship will be on the conservation, restoration, and permanent exhibition of the Salon Doré of the
Hôtel de la Trémoille
at the Legion of Honor. This project offers the Museums, and the Digital Media Interpretive Fellow, an extraordinary opportunity for the creation of new media tools that will enable museum visitors to connect meaningfully to an 18
th
Century period room.
Richly carved and gilded, the Salon Doré of the
Hôtel de la Trémoille was designed during the reign of Louis XVI as the main
salon de compagnie
of the
Hôtel de la Trémoille on the Rue Saint-Dominique, and is one of the finest examples of French neoclassical interior architecture in any museum in the world. Regrettably, a long and turbulent history of relocation and reconfiguration has left this great room wanting. Moved no less than six times between 1877 and 1995, its architectural and aesthetic integrity has over the years been seriously compromised. The goal of the project is to restore the Salon Doré to its original architectural glory, as well as to bring back the room's original character and purpose by reintroducing furnishings of the period that will elucidate its social function as a
salon de compagnie
.
The conservation process will be undertaken with a keen attention to detail; to date, no other French period room in the U.S. has been interpreted so precisely. Once reopened in Fall 2013, the restored Salon Doré will be seen by more than 400,000 museum visitors to the Legion of Honor each year, offering them an illuminating and deeply contextual experience of French culture.
Fellowship Activities:
Under the supervision and mentorship of the Office of the Chief Curator, and in close collaboration with the Curator in Charge of European Decorative Arts and Sculpture and the Head of Objects Conservation, the Digital Media Interpretive Fellow will be responsible for the development and implementation of new media interpretive tools for engaging the public in the restoration and ongoing exhibition of the Salon Doré.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Strategize about how to best document and archive the entire process of restoration, from conservation to permanent display.
Engage a sub-contracted filmmaker to script and shoot a short documentary film about the project development and implementation.
Conduct or manage photography and video of project progression, including time-lapse photography when appropriate.
Conceive of and develop an app-like multimedia interactive for educational purposes.
Design and implement an Augmented Reality environment wherein actors in period dress appear in a SmartPhone or iPad view looking into the actual period room.
As appropriate, output content about the progress of the period room restoration via social media channels.
Use sound analytic solutions and best practices to establish metrics by which to evaluate the success/failure of new media interpretive tools, and make recommendations for continued improvement.
Take part in educational and outreach programming and the day-to-day activities of the Education department.
Attend the lectures hosted by the Fine Arts Museums that are related to the changing exhibitions as well as curatorial exhibition talks whenever possible.
Give a one-hour talk on your work at the Museums to the large and active Docent Council. This presentation will be open to the public and advertised in our Museum Calendar.
Expand and condense the talk into a paper for presentation at a relevant conference.
The challenge of devising and executing a digital media interpretation plan for such a major project as the restoration of the Salon Doré, with supervision from the Museums' senior staff, will allow the Fellow to develop the first-hand experience, expertise, and confidence on which to base an interpretive career in art museums, whether as a museum curator or museum educator.
Minimum Qualifications: Education: Must be an advanced level (MA, MFA, or PhD) candidate in art history, new media, digital humanities, or other related fields. A formal education in art history or media arts is required.
Work Experience: One to three years multimedia production experience with knowledge of museums, cultural, and/or educational non-profit organizations strongly preferred.
Skills and Abilities:
Must have an understanding of learning theory.
Must have advanced knowledge of new media.
Knowledge of digital photography and video production.
Strong AV editing skills with proficiency in current audio/video recording and editing technologies, including Final Cut Pro or comparable editing software, Garageband or comparable audio editing software, Photoshop, and digital animation.
Knowledge of Drupal and web-based programming a plus, including metrics and analytics.
Excellent written and oral communication skills with a high level of initiative and energy.
Strong interpersonal and organizational skills.
Ability to work simultaneously on multiple projects in a highly demanding and fast paced work environment.
Adherence to deadlines and strong follow through with flexibility in meeting shifting demands and priorities.
A desire to function in a team and customer service oriented environment.
Ability to achieve cross-departmental teamwork.
Ability to achieve and sustain best museum practices.
Interest in European decorative arts preferred.
Specifics of Fellowship: Stipend: $25,000
Dates: September, 2012 - August, 2013
Hours: 20-30 hours per week at the Legion of Honor
Relocation services and funding are NOT available.
This position will be eligible for the museums' benefits package.
About Us:
The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco is the 4
th
most attended visual arts institution in North America. The Museums' mission is to provide, through the development and utilization of the collections, exhibitions, education, and community outreach programs, a rich and diversified experience of art and culture for the Bay Area, Northern California, and national and international audiences. As the Bay Area's major comprehensive fine arts museum, the Museums - formed in 1972 with the merger of the M. H. de Young Memorial Museum and the California Palace of the Legion of Honor - offer Northern Californians an overview of artistic achievement spanning ancient times to the present. In fiscal year 2011, combined attendance at the de Young and the Legion of Honor exceeded 2,250,000 visitors. Museum membership reached nearly 122,000 households, ranking the Museums 2
nd
in the country behind only the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Participation in the Museums' education and outreach programs surpassed 241,000 children and adults.
Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco - 9 months ago
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