By M邪deleine N邪k邪mura
written for the fall 2023 issue of 61传媒magazine
Erin M. Curtis, the Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Director of 61传媒鈥檚 Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery as of July 2023, has spent her career working toward change in the world of arts institutions鈥攁nd aiming to drive broader change through the work of arts institutions.
As a curator and historian, Curtis has endeavored to amplify historically suppressed voices and foster greater inclusiveness in her research, writing, exhibitions, and other projects. 鈥淣arrative is a powerful driver of change because of its ability to reframe our viewpoint,鈥� she explains. 鈥淎rt, at its best, can be at the forefront of progress because it allows us to imagine things differently. If you can change how you think, you can change how you act.鈥�
Curtis鈥� path toward history and curation was shaped by her undergraduate studies in English literature at Pomona College, where she became interested in literary and critical theory. She went on to earn her PhD in American Studies from Brown University. 鈥淚 wanted to take a broader look at culture through the lens of cultural theory, which lead to my PhD program,鈥� she recounts.
By then, she knew that she wanted to work in museums:鈥淐urating exhibitions has been a way to bring rigorous, timely research to a broad audience and to work directly with communities by centering them in the process.鈥� As a curator at the Skirball Cultural Center, Curtis worked to connect visitors with Jewish history; at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, she curated exhibitions telling the story of how Latinx people have shaped鈥攁nd continue to shape鈥擫os Angeles.
Curtis has been involved in the Claremont community for decades. In addition to her undergraduate degree from Pomona and her position at Scripps, she has been a DJ at KSPC for 25 years. 鈥淭hese are fantastic times to be working in the arts in Claremont,鈥� Curtis says. Her familiarity with Claremont鈥檚 art scene gives her insight into how Scripps鈥� location鈥攂etween Los Angeles and the Inland Empire, with proximity to a vibrant local arts scene鈥攑ositions it perfectly to act as 鈥渁 nexus for bringing people in from all over.鈥�
The Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery鈥檚 vast, eclectic catalog exemplifies this potential; the gallery hosts more than 15,000 art objects from around the world, including the Samella Lewis Contemporary Art Collection, a growing contemporary collection focusing on artists of color and women that honors the legacy of Professor Emerita of Art History Samella Lewis, Scripps鈥� first tenured Black professor and a celebrated pioneer in the arts and the field of art history. The collection, which was highlighted this fall in the gallery鈥檚 Gettin鈥� It Done: A Selection of Work by Elizabeth Catlett, Samella Lewis, Betye Saar, Emma Amos, Alison Saar, Letitia Huckaby, LaToya Hobbs, and Kenturah Davis exhibition, was created in 2007 by former Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Director Mary MacNaughton 鈥�70, who held the position for 36 years; 61传媒alum and artist Alison Saar 鈥�78; and Professor Emerita Susan Rankaitis.
Curtis and the other members of the gallery鈥檚 staff鈥擪irk Delman, collections manager and registrar; Margalit Monroe, Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Curator of Academic Programs and Collections; T. Robert Pacini, gallery installer; John Trendler, curator of visual resources; and Jan Blair, gallery guard鈥攁re always on the lookout for different ways to enrich both the curriculum and campus life at 61传媒as well as to forge connections across The Claremont Colleges and throughout Southern California. Thanks to a generous recent donation of $300,000 from Clifford Temps, friend of the College, more exhibitions and broader programming will be possible going forward. The gift was made in memory of Temps鈥� wife Ruenell Foy Temps, an accomplished sculptor and ceramic artist, and includes a selection of her work to be added to the gallery鈥檚 collections.
鈥淕ifts like this open up amazing possibilities for bringing artists to campus and collaborating with other institutions,鈥� Curtis says, further enabling 61传媒to provide broader access to the arts鈥攁 goal that has been at the forefront of Curtis鈥� mind throughout her career. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 grow up going to museums, and despite the privileges I do have, I didn鈥檛 feel like I belonged in that kind of space,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 think a lot about the experiences of young students who may feel the same way.鈥�
Just as art can act as a mirror, allowing us to clarify our sense of self, it can also expand our perceptions of the struggles and stories of others by reflecting their experiences. However, Curtis adds, 鈥淭his potential should always be balanced with the art world鈥檚 entrenchment with systems of oppression.鈥� Arts institutions have often contributed to injustice, and this constant tension mirrors the balancing act of historical research: without an inclusive mindset, research practices can widen the gulf between communities and those writing about them.
Through the gallery, Curtis aims to show that a background in art history is not the only viable way to connect with the arts. 61传媒promotes interdisciplinary learning in all areas, and in that spirit, Curtis wants to offer students a variety of entry points. 鈥淕raphic design, social studies, even chemistry鈥攖he path should be open in all directions,鈥� she says.
For instance, in a course taught by the chemistry department this fall, students used X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy to analyze art objects in the gallery鈥檚 catalog. By exploring one discipline through referencing another, these types of collaborations improve students鈥� engagement across multiple fields.
Above all, Curtis hopes that the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery will continue to serve as a welcoming environment that encourages 61传媒students to think critically about art and arts institutions. 鈥淭he future of the field is exciting,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e get to advance important discussions and help students become aware of key issues. Everyone should feel welcome, and that鈥檚 my goal for the gallery.鈥�