Internship Program at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Dorsoduro 701, Venezia - - tel.

Transcription

1 Internship Program at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection Dorsoduro 701, Venezia - internship@guggenheim-venice.it - tel /444

2 The Program Origins What began in 1980 as an invitation to young people to assist in the early days of the operations of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection has developed into a competitive international internship program at Italy s foremost modern art museum. It was the first, and is still the only program of its kind in Italy. The work-study program offers an experience as unique and wide-ranging as the museum itself. The Peggy Guggenheim Collection, endowed with art of the full high Modernist spectrum, is situated in Venice. For young people interested in the arts, a Peggy Guggenheim Collection internship is an opportunity to profit simultaneously from in-depth exposure to modern masterpieces and from involvement in Venice s premier cultural environment. 2

3 The Program Growth The steady expansion of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection from 1980 to today parallels a comparable growth in the internship program. The number of students has increased from 6 to as many as 30 students per month. In 2016, of approximately 1,200 applicants, 152 applicants from 42 different countries were successful. The program is organized by the Education Department, together with two former interns who are selected to return for a period of approximately 6 months to manage the daily and weekly activities of the group. 3

4 The Collection In addition to Peggy Guggenheim s collection of the classical avantgarde, the museum also presents masterpieces from the Hannelore B. and Rudolph B. Schulhof Collection (postwar American and European art) and other long-term loans from collectors, galleries, and artists estates. The permanent collection is flanked by temporary exhibitions. In 2016, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection held the following exhibitions: Postwar Era. A Recent History. Homages to Jack Tworkov and Claire Falkenstein (January 23 April 4, 2016); Imagine. New Imagery in Italian Art (April 23 September 19, 2016); My Weapon against the Atom Bomb is a Blade of Grass. Tancredi. A Retrospective (November 12, 2016 March 13, 2017), all curated by Luca Massimo Barbero. 4

5 What do interns do? Tasks Interns assist in the daily operation of the museum four days a week. They prepare galleries prior to opening, guard rooms, answer questions from the public, sell tickets and catalogues, and close the museum at the end of the day. Interns also are assigned to staff in the offices (administration, public affairs, press, library, publications, registrar research, and retail operations). They also act as docents. They may be involved in presentations to visitors and in Kids Day guided visits and workshops on Sundays for junior members of the visiting public. These tasks involve considerable daily responsibility. Part of the experience is, therefore, work of a varied nature. In addition, through its ownership of the US Pavilion, the museum has direct involvement with the US presentations at the Venice Biennale. Consequently, interns may have the privilege of assisting in the world s oldest international contemporary art event. Discussion, Seminars and Staff Talks Several times a week, interns meet for discussions and seminars on art historical and museological issues. These seminars are conducted by the interns themselves as well as by staff members or visiting professionals. Speakers in 2016 included: Philip Rylands (Director, Peggy Guggenheim Collection), Luciano Pensabene (Conservator), Silvio Veronese (Librarian and Archivist), Sandra 5

6 What do interns do? Divari (Registrar) with Arianna Vechierelli and Arianna Ingrassia (Researchers), Chiara Barbieri (Director of Special Projects and Publications), David Heald (Director of Photographic Services and Chief Photographer for the Guggenheim), David Medalla (Artist), Jason Andrew (Curator, Archivist, and Manager of the Estate of Jack Tworkov), Jay Belloli (Interim Executive Director, Pasadena Museum of California Art, and Vice-President of the Falkenstein Foundation, Los Angeles), Maren Henderson (Professor Emeritus at Cal Poly Pomona, and Secretary / Treasurer of the Falkenstein Foundation, Los Angeles). Collaborations Thanks to the collaboration between the Maramotti Collection in Reggio Emilia and the Peggy Guggenheim Internship Program, a team of interns in 2016 was selected to take part in an exchange between the two collections. On the occasion of the Maramotti Collection s temporary exhibitions, So near, so far by Paolo Simonazzi and How do I imagine being there? by Claudia Losi in May, and Figurative Geometry by Bob Nickas in October, a group of PGC interns was provided with the opportunity to preview the exhibitions, interview the artists and curators, and attend the exhibition openings. 6

7 Services and Trips Visits inside and outside Venice are planned twice a month to allow interns to view exhibitions and cultural and historical sites in various Italian cities. During 2016, there were twelve trips outside Venice to other centers for modern and contemporary art in Italy including Ravenna, Mantua, Bologna, Florence, Lago d Iseo, Padua, Trieste, Pistoia and others trips included visits to temporary exhibitions: Edward Hopper at Palazzo Fava and Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Bologna, From Kandinsky to Pollock: The Art of the Guggenheim Collections at Palazzo Strozzi, Florence, and The Floating Piers by Christo and Jeanne-Claude in Mont Isola. The interns also visited the Collezione Gori in Pistoia, the Chiesa dell Arte in Osteria Nuova, the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, Palazzo Ducale in Mantua, and Villa Valmarana ai Nani in Vicenza. The purpose of the tours in Venice is to explore lesserknown areas of the city and to visit exhibits organized by prominent art institutions of Venice. The interns also went to Venice s outlying islands, such as San Giorgio, where they visited Fondazione 7

8 Cini. They were given a private tour of the basilica of San Marco by Philip Rylands and visited the Gallerie dell Accademia, Palazzo Ducale, Palazzo Labia, Teatro la Fenice, and Scala Contarini del Bovolo. They also visited temporary exhibitions, such as Fondation Louis Vuitton building in Paris by Frank Gehry, with the participation of Daniel Buren at the Espace Louis Vuitton, and visited the studios of the artists supported by the Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa. As 2016 coincided with the 15 th International Architecture Biennale, Reporting from the Front, the interns also visited the pavilions of participating countries on several occasions. Interns have the exclusive use of the museum s library of modern and contemporary art and enjoy free time to study privately, and attend language courses and Italian lectures. 8

9 How to apply Candidates who wish to apply for the internship may request information and application forms from the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, or download the required forms from the website. The application should be post-marked by the deadlines indicated and must include an application form, an updated CV, a statement of motivation and two reference letters. Candidates are selected by a committee of the museum staff in Venice. Successful applicants tend to be in their early to mid-twenties, with fluent English and a knowledge of the Italian language, who are trained in and/ or express a desire to pursue a career in the arts whether applied art, art history, teaching, gallery or auction professions, museum administration or curatorship. Students may apply for one, two or three months. The shared language is English. Applications must be submitted in hard copy to the follow address: Internship Program Peggy Guggenheim Collection Palazzo Venier dei Leoni 701 Dorsoduro, Venezia, Italy For further information, please contact: Elena Minarelli / Federica Gastaldello Tel /401 Fax internship@guggenheim-venice.it 9

10 Funding the program Sponsoring a student entails funding the position of one or more candidates in order to guarantee a place in the highly competitive internship program. The following organizations currently sponsor students in the program: Christie s Education, London, Christie s Education, New York, Guggenheim UK Charitable Trust, Liverpool John Moores University, Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, Sarah Lawrence College, Sotheby s Institute of Art, London and New York, The University of Auckland, The University of Melbourne, University of Manchester, Universität für angewandte Kunst Wien, Venice International University, Wellesley College, and Yale-NUS College. The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is generously endowed with five scholarships: The Alice Stone Ilchman Fund, The Frederick Ilchman Fund, The Liesbeth Bollen Fund, The Veronica M. Bulgari Fund, and the Melissa Ulfane Fund. Outstanding candidates are selected each year from amongst the successful applicants to the internship program, and are awarded an augmented stipend. The Alice Stone Ilchman Fund Since 2008, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection internship program offers a scholarship dedicated to the late Alice Stone Ilchman, former director of the Jeanette K. Watson Fellowship. Alice Ilchman was a much valued supporter of the internship program who over the years in her professional roles helped countless young people, supervising them in their professional development. Thanks to a contribution from the Ilchman family, one outstanding international student intern each year is selected for the Alice Stone Ilchman Scholarship. The Frederick Ilchman Fund Beginning in 2014, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection has offered the Frederick Ilchman Internship, thanks to a generous donation of Warren Ilchman and family. Frederick Ilchman has worked at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, since He was appointed Chair, Art of Europe, in Frederick is a member of the board and Project Director of Save Venice Inc. Each year a recipient is selected based on academic record, career goals, and above all, motivation to pursue a career in art history and/or curatorship. 10

11 Funding the program The Liesbeth Bollen Fund The Peggy Guggenheim Collection internship program offers a scholarship open to students of all nationalities dedicated to the memory of Liesbeth Bollen, a much-loved member of the staff of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. The purpose of this scholarship is to perpetuate the memory of Liesbeth Bollen, enabling brilliant and highly motivated students to benefit from the same educational experience that brought Liesbeth to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and that connoted her whole career. The Veronica M. Bulgari Fund Thanks to a donation by Natalia Bulgari, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation offers an intern scholarship at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in the name of Veronica M. Bulgari, alumna of This is awarded to one international candidate per year, of any nationality, in recognition of the excellence of his/her application and motivation to pursue a career in the world of art. The Melissa Ulfane Fund Beginning in 2014, for four consecutive years, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection offers the Melissa Ulfane Scholarship, to support applicants from the United Kingdom or Southern Africa. One candidate per year, for a three-month internship, will be selected from all candidates for the Peggy Guggenheim Collection Internship program, and will receive a scholarship stipend in the name and thanks to the generosity of Melissa Ulfane. 11

12 2016 Interns Nationalities Argentina 1 Armenia 1 Austria 2 Australia 4 Bosnia 1 Brazil 1 Britain 16 Bulgaria 3 Canada 5 China 2 Chile 1 Colombia 1 Croatia 7 Czech Republic 1 Cuba 1 France 4 Georgia 1 Germany 5 Greece 8 Hong Kong 1 Hungary 2 India 1 Ireland 1 Italy 24 Japan 1 Kazakhstan 1 Lithuania 1 Malaysia 1 Mexico 1 Moldova 1 Netherlands 3 New Zealand 4 Poland 2 Russia 3 Romania 1 South Korean 1 Spain 6 Syria 1 Taiwan 1 Turkey 1 United Arab Emirates 1 USA 28 Tot

13 Testimonials Jillane Buryn (June 2016-July 2016) My two months at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection were truly, to use a cliché, life changing. I went into the internship unsure of what I was getting myself into I had never worked in a museum before, but I ended up learning so much and enjoying the work that I was doing much more than I could have ever expected before I arrived. I love public speaking, and so the opportunity to do tours in three languages (English, Italian and French) helped me to continue to develop a skill that I had been practicing my entire life. The opportunity to be so close to some of the most important works of art of the 20th century was amazing. You can study the artworks from books, yes, but I found that the best way to study the works was from up-close, while guarding them, as then I could start to apply the information that I studied to the work that was right in front of me. The experience is truly unparalleled, and the fact that the museum is so small means that even in a few short months you can start to understand exactly how it operates. The internship program is also great because of the community that builds between the interns. I made close friends coming from all over the world whose interests ranged a wide variety of topics and the opportunity to learn from them was also an experience that I can t imagine getting anywhere but the PGC. I am so grateful for this opportunity, as it taught me so much about art, museums and even about myself in general, and it really has opened so many doors for me. I was more than happy to come back as an Intern Coordinator to have another opportunity to learn and work at the PGC. Katie Campbell (April 2016 June 2016) Interning at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection has been a rewarding, entertaining and truly unforgettable experience. From the very beginning of my time at the PGC I realised how important and valued the interns are to the daily operations of the museum. The hands on experience of opening and closing the museum on a daily basis and the variety of tasks interns undertake from guarding the rooms to selling tickets, gave me a tremendously broad insight into the workings of an art museum. The opportunity to study Peggy s amazing collection of 20 th Century Modern Art every day and find out more about her extraordinary life was just one of the many highlights of the internship. Others included the chance to give talks to the public on artworks in the Collection and develop my public speaking, to get involved with museum education by taking part in Kid s Day, (the Collection s weekly children s workshop) as well as having the opportunity to talk to and work with members of staff from many of the museum s different departments. It was not just the professional experience that has left its mark on me, I met and worked with the most amazing group of people (interns and permanent staff) from all around the world. All of us with different as well as shared interests and working day in, day out, meant that I forged friendships for life. To top it all, you get to live in Venice, one of Italy s most beautiful and magical cities! My three months at the PGC has certainly left its mark on me and I m already reminiscing about my time there! 13

14 Testimonials Lois Haines (July 2016) The month I spent at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection was enriching, useful and not to mention really great fun. Firstly, the skills and practical experience of working in a museum I gained from the internship have improved my CV no end, and been a real help when searching for full-time employment in the art world. The work interns do carrying out the daily operations of the collection is really meaningful, and indicative of a high level of quality and competence. Secondly, I have benefited greatly from the time I spent among the work in the PGC, and learnt a huge amount about twentieth century art just from being around one of the best collections in the world. Educationally, the experience offers complete immersion in modernist art, and since interns need to quickly become au fait with the collection and its history, is extremely enriching intellectually, albeit somewhat challenging. Last but not least, the PGC Internship is a rare occasion to spend an extended period with other people who all share the same interest in art and Italian culture. Without fail it seems, interns have the time of their lives sharing in the unique experience with like-minded individuals, coming from all over the world, taking the occasion to explore Venice together. The interns are treated by the PGC to numerous excursions and seminars, all of which I found fascinating and which really added to the exclusivity of the experience. All in all, I credit my time at the PGC with equipping me with the necessary skills and practical experience to go confidently into the world of work after getting my degrees. Tony Goupil (September 2016 December 2016) My internship at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection has been very fruitful in many ways. It was first a good practice after my graduation in Art History at the University of La Rochelle. It was nice to reactivate my modern art knowledge by exploring the collection. I have always enjoyed welcoming the public and sharing my research and discoveries so, in that way, giving art talks gave to me a great personal accomplishment. I sometimes even learned more in the museum than in previous lessons by working in close contact with the artworks. Art is like a language, you need real practice instead of theory in order to improve your art analytical skills. The internship, by its diversity, made me gain many new experiences. From Kids Day to the ticket office, from guarding to greeting, from helping out to giving talks or seminars, I developed new abilities, and I became aware of the aspects of internal and external management of a museum of international reputation. My favorite exercise was giving talks because it was an intimate moment with the artworks and with the public. The talks were always an intellectual challenge that stimulated my reflection. I enjoyed the variety of talks we had to give because each time it was a different type of exercise with different problematics. I was thrilled to present artworks that I studied in class to visitors. Of course, the cherry on top of the cake was the friendship I developed with all the interns and the magic context of Venice that made this internship a great achievement for me, both personal and professional. 14

15 The Peggy Guggenheim Interns Society In 2010 the Peggy Guggenheim Collection announced the founding of the museum s interns alumni group: the Peggy Guggenheim Interns Society, a platform for former interns to meet, get back in touch, network and share experiences. After the success of the first event held at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York on October 29, 2010, a second gathering of the Peggy Guggenheim Interns Society took place on June 2, 2011 a third edition on May 30, 2013, and a fourth edition on May 8, 2015 at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Former interns have been invited to return to the museum in Venice for late evening parties dedicated to their enjoyment and networking. Dates are intentionally fixed during the inauguration of the Art Biennale, as so many ex-interns are now actively involved in the art world. The evening is the opportunity for many alumni to return home after so many years. If you are a former Peggy Guggenheim Collection intern and you are reading this message, please contact us with your current contact details, to receive information about forthcoming activities. 15