The Curator's Handbook

June 1, 2015

This informative handbook to the multiple facets of the world of curatorship starts with the historic view of the curator and continues with a detailed examination of the multiple tasks and roles typically assigned to modern curators. George (senior curator, UK Government Art Collection) traces the evolution of an exhibition from its conception to the presentation of the idea, through contracts and loans, budgets and schedules, catalogs and didactic materials, as well as gallery design and public relations. Each chapter provides an essential discussion of the practicalities and possibilities involved; charts with diagrams and tables help clarify the issues at hand. Readers are taken through the curation process with precise writing and a formidable wealth of experience behind each inquiry and instruction. Frequent observations by the contributing museum directors add a personal touch and offer beneficial perspectives about the job. VERDICT Any student or novice curator will find this a vital part of their curriculum; it is a resource that should be on the shelf of any curator working in a museum in the 21st century. A much-needed manual for contemporary practitioners of the fine art of curatorship, written with an eye to the everyday applications necessary for the evolution of an exhibition.--Paula Frosch, Metropolitan Museum of Art Lib., NY

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