This summer, I worked with Professor Tracey Holland on a proposal for a travelling photography exhibition entitled Reframing Childhood. Featuring around 20 photos from the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, this project aims to raise awareness and invite conversations around topics of childhood, children’s rights, and armed conflict. Through various education programs and educational exhibition texts, we hope to inform viewers with the fundamental tools of looking at images–most importantly, the ethical concerns of looking at images of suffering. We also explores non-traditional approaches to curating a photography exhibition, one that incorporates multiple perspectives from different participants including visitors, curators, and student researchers.

Our project received funds from Vassar’s Creative Act Across Disciplines, which shaped the project’s creative curatorial vision. Our interdisciplinary research method not only incorporates materials from different academic disciplines but also professional knowledge. We began with image research by organizing past student writings and readings on topics including children’s rights, photojournalism, and peace education. As we started drafting our proposal, we visited photography exhibitions in the NYC and explored multiple online collections. From conversations with curators and directors at the Loeb we learned more about the logistics planning, public programs, and curatorial strategies. We followed the “making and doing” aspect of curating with the educational goals. We used creative visualization tools including Mindmaps, Vision Boards, Minecraft, and Sketchup to present and develop our ideas. Creating these visual materials deepens our connection with the photos and understanding of the themes.

In the end, our proposal established a framework that organizes our materials into five major thematic sections, conceptual design of the exhibition space and the catalogue, and ways to increase the project’s reach and visibility. As our project transitions to the implementation stage, we will focus on making realistic budget planning and adapting the exhibition designs within the specific venues we hope to present our project at.