Curatorial | Emma Metcalfe Hurst

Collecting the Collector & Processing the Process: A Two-Part Exhibition of the bpNichol Fonds

Co-curated by Emma Metcalfe Hurst and Donald Shipton, Collecting the Collector & Processing the Process is a student-curated exhibition that explores avant-garde Canadian poet bp Nichol’s practice as both a collector and creator. On the third floor of SFU’s W.A.C. Bennett Library, materials from Nichol’s various collections are on display. This includes a selection of his robots, a menagerie of “H”‘s, selections from his Dick Tracy comics collection, alongside his other playful projects found in the archives. On display on the seventh floor, at the entrance to SFU’s Rare Books…read more

ACA’s Notes in the Field – A Two-Part Blog Post

Archival Research, Indigenous Protocols, and Documentary Filmmaking: A Case Study of British Columbia – An Untold History (Part 1) Archival Research, Indigenous Protocols, and Documentary Filmmaking: A Case Study of British Columbia – An Untold History (Part 2)

Artspeak Radio Digest

Fall 2018 – Artspeak Radio Digest on Vancouver Co-op Radio, CFRO 100.5FM Artspeak Radio Digest was a three-month long program run in partnership with Vancouver Co-op Radio, a community radio station based in the Downtown Eastside since 1973. Taking the form of an audio journal, Artspeak Radio Digest was an expanded approach to Artspeak’s publishing program that culminated into 11 episodes. Each show was conceived of as an individual audio journal issue. Interdisciplinary in its approach, the digest format featured new commissions, sound works, poetry, radio plays, and music amongst…read more

Coming Out of Chaos: A Vancouver Dance Story

Fall 2021 – Coming Out of Chaos: A Vancouver Dance Story Coming Out of Chaos: A Vancouver Dance Story is an archival research and oral history project produced by Karen Jamieson Dance that recounts that looks back at the early collaborative work Coming Out of Chaos (1982) to tell a story of the emergence of contemporary dance in Vancouver. I had the opportunity to interview 17 established and mid-career contemporary dancers, choreographers, administrators, dance historians and critics, as well as six of the original Coming Out of Chaos collaborators. The…read more

Acts of Transfer: Performance Art in the Western Front Archive

Spring 2018 – Acts of Transfer: Performance Art in the Western Front Archive Acts of Transfer: Performance Art in the Western Front Archive is a web-based archival project that I developed for a newly digitized A/V collection of performance art by women-identifying artists at the Western Front from 1975-2006. I conducted a rigorous permissions process by contacting artists directly, documenting how (and if) they want their work presented online, and offering them copies of their digitized works. The final product materialized as an interactive media timeline that hosted 65 newly…read more

READ Books & Charles H. Scott Gallery

2016 – Book and Gallery Monitor, READ Books Shelved and organized books. Assisted customers with finding books. Acted as a docent for the gallery exhibitions. Facilitated book purchases. Created book displays and generated descriptions. Uploaded and managed inventory on internal database system. 2013 – Public Programs Assistant, Charles H. Scott Gallery (now the Libby Leshgold Gallery) at Emily Carr University of Art & Design Generated, edited, and distributed promotional materials for gallery exhibitions and public programming. Provided assistance for public events. Performed website updates and maintenance.

Access Gallery

Posted by emmamh in Archives, Contemporary art, Curatorial, Event, Gallery

2015-2016 – Curatorial Assistant, Access Gallery Worked closely with Kimberly Phillips, former Director/Curator at Access Gallery to develop and execute curatorial projects, public programming, publications, and Access Gallery’s inaugural travelling artist residency Twenty-Three Days at Sea, on a container/cargo ship. Hosted exhibition tours and assisted with more than 8 public events. Conducted studio visits with artists. Assisted with grant writing, reports, and budget management. Performed daily administration and docent tasks including: opening/closing gallery, email correspondence, greeting visitors, conducting sales of gallery merchandise. Installed 5 exhibitions. Generated promotional materials and managed gallery…read more

Nanaimo Art Gallery

2016-2017 – Curatorial Intern, Nanaimo Art Gallery Assisted with the development and research of 7 gallery exhibitions and public programs alongside Nanaimo Art Gallery Curator, Jesse Birch. Co-curated Dream Islands/Island Dreams exhibition and public program with Jesse Birch. Independently organized LIT LIT LIT LIT: Nanaimo at Nanaimo Art Gallery’s ArtLab, featuring readings by 4 established and emerging writers. Copyedited promotional materials and publications. Assisted with design and production. Performed exhibition installation of artworks and archival materials in a public gallery setting. Generated shipping and condition reports. Documented gallery programming (photography…read more

Western Front

2017-2018 – Archives and Media Intern, Western Front Developed the web-based archival research project Acts of Transfer: Performance Art in the Western Front Archive; featuring 65 newly digitized performance artworks by women-identifying artists in the Western Front archives from 1975-2006. Curated a selection of works and generated new descriptions for the works on the project website/archives. Digitized audio-visual materials including: 6” Open Reel, Umatic SP, Mini DV. Updated permissions for use and access documentation for digitized performance works of 65 artists. Organized, described, and developed storage for WF poster collection….read more