Behind the Scenes Prepping a Traveling Exhibit

Sarah Owens holds a fish skin bowl by Audrey Armstrong. Kayla Desroches/KMXT
Sarah Owens holds a fish skin bowl by Audrey Armstrong. Kayla Desroches/KMXT

Kayla Desroches/KMXT

A traveling exhibit featuring pieces from Alaskan artists is moving from community to community, and it features some local creations along the way.

The exhibit, called Living Alaska, is curated by former Alutiiq Museum executive director Sven Haakanson and originated at the Anchorage Museum, all thanks to funds from the Rasmuson Foundation.

After Anchorage, the exhibit visited Homer, Juneau, and Fairbanks, and the pieces just arrived in Kodiak.

This week, Alutiiq Museum staff has been hurrying to prepare for the exhibit opening on Saturday.

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During museum after-hours, two women are doing quiet, careful work, setting up exhibit cases.

Anchorage Museum conservator, Sarah Owens, came to help Alutiiq Museum Collections and Exhibits Specialist, Alexandra Painter, to unpack and arrange the pieces.

Owens says the items arrived in crates, wrapped in foam and plastic. Also packed away with the objects is a condition book.

“It’s got all the information about the object, its name, the artist, what materials it’s made from and the condition that it was in initially when it was first assessed and also at each venue. What we’re looking for is we’re making sure nothing’s happened in transportation and nothing’s happened during display.”

The 25 pieces fall into three categories: artwork inspired by the Alaska environment, Alaska native art, and contemporary art.

Owens, wearing blue gloves, picks up a bowl so delicate you can see her fingers through the material.

“We handle them as if they’re a very precious tiny bird, very carefully, we’re not putting pressure on the material. With these two pieces here, one is the fish skin bowl. Fish scan inherently can get very dry, very brittle. It’s also sewn, so I’m going to be super careful, making sure there’s no tears in the skin, no tears along the seams.”

The bowl’s beadwork, which can loosen over time, requires similar care.

“So, we just need to make sure that everything’s securely attached and that when we’re handling, we’re being very careful and not putting any undue stress to the object.”

The exhibit is visiting Kodiak for just a short time. It moves on in March.

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