- Mariko Smith, Curatorial/Web Content Intern
Hi, I’m Mariko Smith, and I’ll be working at the Australian National Maritime Museum until late January 2012, as part of an internship course for a Master of Museum Studies at the University of Sydney.
This is actually my second internship at the museum – I completed my first one earlier this year in the curatorial department, working closely with the Indigenous Communities collection. This collection consists of various objects, mainly artworks, from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia. That internship involved reviewing and organising image reproduction approvals from various stakeholders, so the museum could use images of the objects in this collection on its online collections database resource, eMuseum.
This time around, I’m back in curatorial (even at my old desk), working with the Indigenous Communities collection, but with a new twist. To start off, I’ll be continuing my previous work on image reproduction approvals and updating internal object and maker records – this time for a specific selection of objects chosen by senior curator, Lindsey Shaw.
However, I will also be working with web content development officer, Carli Collins to share this interesting selection of traditional bark paintings and artefacts, contemporary artworks and shell jewellery with the public, through the museum’s website and social media streams, such as Facebook, Twitter and of course this blog!
Before I started here, I wasn’t really aware of how much the museum was involved with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and their cultural heritage. Now I have a greater appreciation of the rich and diverse connections many Indigenous Australians have with water and the sea.
I look forward to sharing my experiences throughout this internship with you.
Stay tuned!
Mariko
