We participated in ASK A CURATOR day! YAY!!!!!!!!

We were thrilled and honored to be participating in Ask A Curator day.  The interactive virtual dialogue was created for curious individuals to find out what the ins and outs of curating is all about.  We were asked questions via twitter from all over the globe.  Peep our question/answer recap below.  Our answers are in italics...#askacurator

@cp_art (asked) What do you remember about your first visit to an art museum? How old were you?

@PAPILLIONART What I remember about visiting my first museum was how big the building was, I was in 2nd grade, it was a fun school field trip.

 @cp_art How can we best approach and interest children and teenagers in modern and contemporary art?

@PAPILLIONART children/teenagers are smart & have their own opinions on art its important to listen when they share and educate within this dialogue

 @cp_art Do you think that art is "useful"? What is the aim of art making?

@PAPILLIONART OH YES! We very much think art is useful & their is no 1 aim when making it. Its multifunctional in purpose, feeling & meaning.

 @museecluny (commented) There is no reason to the rose, it blooms because it blooms. Same with art, no other use than itself.

@RachelCockett Good things to #askacurator "Would you like a drink?"

@PAPILLIONART Awww Wine! The chouce beverage for any curator!

 @tiffanyjenkins Good question via @natmelt 'curating' has become very fashionable. Is the term misused or enlightening?

@PAPILLIONART I think the term can be misused, there is no Official Handbook to Curating, some confuse producing with curating

 @Fresh274 (added) Agree curating this and that has become fashionable...there is definitely bad / uninspiring / lazy curating!

@PAPILLIONART (we commented) As a curator I'm learning a lot from the questions ppl are asking, awesome connecting 2 art go'ers. I knew #askacurator day would be fun!

 @Fresh274 Is a visual art exhibition a collaborative project between artist and curator? Is there a dominant player?

@PAPILLIONART Yes a collaboration between artist & curator sometimes one of compromise, artist more dominant Curator more guider #askacurator

 @Fresh274 Are curators a bit like pimps? #askacurator

@PAPILLIONART LOL we wouldn't call it pimpin, how about "a creative liaison b/t your art & viewer"

@deadsunflower What is the main duty of a museum curator?

@PAPILLIONART RAISE MONEY

 @JohannaHaagsman Would you be interested if artists (like me:) send a project porposal (hypothetical), or do you only work with known artists?

@PAPILLIONART Theirs a protocol 4 submitting but every known artist was once UNKnown i'd say don't be afraid 2 get ur work out

 @Fresh274 what parts of the job do curators hate?

@PAPILLIONART Looking at lousy art

 @trucks_here Q. from LA Will traditional painting/drawing be vibrant and widespread in 50yrs? or will digital tools make them obsolete?

@PAPILLIONART We hope & pray the art of traditional drawing/painting will still be vibrant Digital can never replace Humans

 @deadsunflower Who decides what's art and what isn't? (especially when talking about Contemporary Art). Critics? Time?

@PAPILLIONART Curators have a deciding factor in saying what is or isnt art we are looking @ skill, commitment, education, voice

@FineArtsCenter (responded to our answer) Would add INSPIRE! RT @PAPILLIONART: RAISE MONEY RT @deadsunflower What is the main duty of a museum curator?

@AnnieR Do art museums stay open 24 hrs?

@PAPILLIONART the @whitneymuseum was 24hrs during there recent Biennial, I wish we could be 24hrs but that makes for a cranky curator

@mdoness whats the difference between a curator & collector

@PAPILLIONART Fine line, I'm both. A curator has an objective when showing art

@artatsnow Do signatures have to be prominent to be valuable Can it be visible yet subtle?

@PAPILLIONART can be subtle or prominent

@Museodata What is the most difficult challenge for a curator? How do technologies influence the curatorship task?

@PAPILLIONART a challenge is staying current & fresh as things u see online, technology has had a big impact

@PAPILLIONART As a contemporary art curator the most difficult thing is staying on the pulse of whats GOOD in contemporary art

@PAPILLIONART Technology can play a part in influencing depending on situation but definitely helps research aspect of curating.

@elyac What type of education, internships, social networks, etc did u use to get where u are 2day?

@PAPILLIONART I studied art hstory, classics, archeology & finance when in school I interned at all the places I wanted to work

@PAPILLIONART online social networking wasn't a big deal when i was in school, i socially networked with a real artist circle in NYC

@hellokaitlin do you ever feel like your exhibits are compromised by management policies?

@PAPILLIONART when conceiving a new exhibit their is always compromise, my goal is that its not at the expense of the art

@Bass_ee Starting salary for a curator?

@PAPILLIONART Really varies, galleries vs museums not one set starting point

@jbrunotte Has their ever been a display that was pulled for "controversial reasons?"

@PAPILLIONART 9/11/02 in NYC i curated IF NOT NOW WHEN w/Jewish, Israeli, Palestinian artists, became controversial but not intention

@PAPILLIONART Photographer Renee Cox had her worked banned by the mayor of NYC for showing at the Brooklyn Museum

@CurrierMuseum Is studying History of Art the nest way to become a curator?

@PAPILLIONART I would for sure start there

@JonesDistrict Do you guys really have to include Maurizio Cattelan in every single show?

@PAPILLIONART NOPE! We don't LOL

@annecottingham Is Vancouver considered this mythic place in the intl art world that artists come from, but no one goes to for art?

@PAPILLIONART Vancouver's got a bubbling art scene, but somehow I agree with your tweet

@deadsunflower is studying the History of Art the best way to become a curator (in an art museum?)

@PAPILLIONART Its really important, beyond studying the history of art you would want to focus in on a specific period (for a museum)

@Bass_ee Do curators get to design exhibitions?

@PAPILLIONART Absolutely! That's one of the fun parts!

@LeannePrain How does one pitch an art show to a gallery? Are there any written sources you would recommend?

@PAPILLIONART Know the guidelines & submission process of gallery your pitching each space has its own criteria, than go for it

@jbrunotte How to include other arts (music, dance...) into an exhibition?

@PAPILLIONART Our audience loves that at each opening their is an aspect of performance art in the exhibition

@PAPILLIONART depending on the exhibit we spend a lot of time, thought, research w/artists in having right music/performance

@PAPILLIONART Plus were not ones to turn away from an ART PARTY, honestly we think when appropriate art should be fun & enjoyed

@PAPILLIONART I LOVE ART, you have to if you want to be a curator

@LeannePrain Great advice, thanks!

@PAPILLIONART My pleasure!

@AfikeaMuseum (responded to @deadsunflower) African art must be made for ritual use, curators look for the most esthetic examples within that corpus 

@PAPILLIONART not sure I agree w/"Afrikan art must be made for ritual use"

@AfikeaMuseum I’m thinking about traditional traditional African art, not comtempory art

@PAPILLIONART Got it. Thanks for clarifying!

Im gonna end here and call this PT 1...didn't realize how many questions we answered.  The 2nd post will be just as long as this one...stay tuned.