View the 2023 Object in focus projects!
Written by George Peckham, ITP Coordinator
We’re very excited to share the Object in focus projects from the 2023 ITP annual programme, which can be explored on a new page on the website.
Object in focus is one of the highlights of the ITP annual programme and each year fellows are asked to participate in the project. The project has evolved over the years and for many programmes fellows were asked to plan and propose a temporary exhibition. Working individually, in pairs or in groups, fellows were given an object from the Museum’s collection to propose a temporary exhibition working within a particular theme. The projects are presented at an evening reception towards the end of the programme.
In 2022 the Object in focus project took a new form and the fellows were asked to work together to create an museum trail using objects on display at the Museum. The group developed a 15-object trail based on a story they wanted to share based around the British Museum collection. The theme of the trail was Food and drink around the world. A film and trail leaflet were made to capture the project, which can be viewed the website.
For 2023, Object in focus was once again reimagined and fellows proposed a new interpretation for an object currently on display in the Museum.
Working in their departmental groups, with an object chosen departmental mentors, the fellows worked as teams to create and develop a reinterpretation of the object’s display. Each group considered various aspects of the object’s display including rewriting panels and labels, creating merchandise, and engagement activities for families and children.
The idea for this new Object in focus project was inspired in part by the British Museum’s ongoing programme to redisplay its galleries as part of the Reimagining the British Museum project.
Five object redisplays were presented at an evening reception, attended by British Museum colleagues, ITP programme partners, and programme supporters. Each group did a brilliant job presenting new ideas and themes around their given object and came up with some unique and engaging display proposals.
Please follow the link to the Object in focus 2023 page to explore each project in full! Well done to all the ITP 2023 fellows for their hard work!