Notes from the floor is collecting an anthology of visual and textual materials around the experience of the docent and museum guides than many overqualified cultural workers find themselves in… here is their call:
Few can deny the seductive glamour of the art world: it’s a transnational bash complete with open bar, sparkling conversation, well dressed characters and lots of air-kissing. At least, that’s what we all secretly signed up for when we declared Art History our major in University. Had we known that a life in the arts was synonymous with hours of standing in solitude, uncomfortable uniforms and an over familiarity with the location of public toilets, maybe we wouldn’t have been so keen on the subject. ———- With few paying entry level jobs available in the industry, frustrated aspiring artists, curators and critics are finding common ground in the in the visitor services department. Our mission is to publish an anthology of essays, poems, anecdotes, photographs and the like that explore the joys and trials of working on the art world’s literal and metaphorical floor. We know that docents live a hybrid existence, enjoying the privilege of spending hours in the company of great art, and cursing the job’s sometimes physical and mental monotony; and we hope to receive a range of submissions that reflect all facets of the docent experience. Ideally, submissions will ask questions about the venerated museum/gallery space and link personal experience to larger theoretical explorations.
More info here.
Carrotworkers' Collective 