Ma. Yohana R. Frias Museum Researcher Ethnology Division National Museum of the Philippines

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1 Ma. Yohana R. Frias Museum Researcher Ethnology Division National Museum of the Philippines I am Ma. Yohana R. Frias, a fairly new museum professional from the Philippines. In 2015, I graduated at the University of the Philippines with a Bachelor s degree in Behavioural Sciences. In the same year, I became part of the National Museum of the Philippines (NM) as a museum researcher of the Ethnology Division. In our division, it is quite typical for employees to multi-task. Aside from conducting archival and field research, I also became part of the curatorial team. I was exposed to a variety of tasks - collection management especially cataloguing and photo documentation, guided tours, organizing and holding lectures, talks, and workshops, gallery monitoring, and conceptualization of exhibitions, including exhibition design and layout, and write-up of text. My three years felt like five, but thanks to this experience, I was able to participate in the ITP. During the fellow presentations - July 3, 2018 When I found out about the programme on the ITP website and by reading through the 2017 report, I was amazed at how holistic the training is. I thought that it was perfect for my current role in the museum, and really hoped to learn anything and everything they could offer. The major thing I wanted to accomplish was to learn more about photography, collection management systems, and new styles of gallery display and layout that could help improve the appeal of our museum to visitors. After reading through the biographies of other participating fellows, I started feeling unsure of myself. But the warm welcome of the ITP staff and fellows really put me at ease. Overall, the programme exceeded my expectations. The most effective way of learning for me is through handson activities and guided tours. Thankfully, we did a lot of those. Our numerous day trips not only allowed me to see much of England but also to compare and contrast exhibition displays and educational programmes at different sites, museums, and heritage houses. The sessions on exhibition display, layout, and interpretation complimented with the guided tours around the BM galleries. This gave me the chance to look at how they present objects in context and write concise texts. Experiencing the UK Partner Placement in Norwich also benefitted me a lot in this regard,

2 particularly when we went around to visit different museums under and in partnership with Norfolk Museums Service (NMS). Hands-on session on Collections Management The subject specialist session on photography was really beneficial to me, I only wished we could have done that more. The superb equipment the photographers have in the BM is something that our institution may never be able to purchase, but what was interesting to me is the creative use of lighting for taking photographs of three dimensional objects. Different lightings create different moods, and you can use simple materials like foams, mirrors, and foils to bounce off light from your primary lighting source. We were taught about how an image with front lighting can appear flat, and how shadows add depth to the object. These simple methods are easier for me to emulate in my own institution, and I think a good training programme should always consider the applicability of sessions. The Object in Focus project was the best practical I experienced. Though I am already familiar with designing in Photoshop because of my work, I really enjoyed the newfound freedom of creating new and different styles of posters and merchandise. My project partner, Sarah Abdolatiff, curator from the Sudan National Museum, was very encouraging and gave me enough confidence to be innovative. Compressing the text was difficult; the main panel should only be 180 words and the label is 75 words. Our object, the Hunt Krater, is already well-documented. Instead of touching on different aspects in a broader level, we had to choose a specific story in relation to the theme of Journeys. At first we worked towards the easy route of simply describing the object, its function, and a brief narrative about its collector, Sir William Hamilton. In the end, I thought that it was too shallow most visitors who would visit my project presentation during the supporter s reception may already know about these. I knew I had to rethink our approach. I went back and remembered why we chose the object in the first place; I was really fascinated about how Greek influence spread across Europe. Even the National Museum of the Philippines have a neo-classical architecture quite similar to Ancient Greek temples. After reading related

3 literature and reviewing the concept for several days, Sarah and I decided that our final idea will revolve around the journey of influence as symbolized by the Hunt Krater. Some of our designs for the poster, text panel, label, flyer and museum shop. I was trying to deliberately create a modern look! We were very lucky to be mentored by Senior Curator of the Ancient Greece and Rome Department, Ian Jenkins. Upon reading our first draft of the text, he immediately understood what message we wanted to convey. He complimented our work by saying that the writing was very eloquent - this was the first time I received a form of validation, as I was very unsure even from the start. He helped us refine our text to be more on point, because he said that some of the words I use are quite philosophical. It was such an honor and pleasure working with a brilliant mind like him. Ian Jenkins showing me the volume of the Collection of Etruscan, Greek and Roman Antiquities from the cabinet of the Honourable William Hamilton

4 At the evening reception, I was amazed that I managed to talk quite confidently about my object to different people who I never knew before. I was happy to see that my partner, Sarah, was also confident and actively engaging visitors. We prepared well for that day it was a culmination of everything we have learned throughout the ITP. Upon my return to the NM, I was bombarded with projects a field research on August 28, a photography exhibition a week after, and re-designing and re-printing of gallery texts. This will be a good opportunity to test out the skills and knowledge I have gained in the ITP. I also hope to echo everything I have learned by conducting a talk where I can present what transpired through the ITP programme. Hopefully, this will inspire my colleagues and give them new ideas on how to bring a more positive experience to our viewers. I intend to push through with my original aim to propose innovative designs and improved interpretation in our galleries. Unlike the BM, our institution does not have a separate interpretation team; curators and researchers write and edit the final text. The style and length are not too appealing to most visitors. As we are currently reprinting our texts, I will suggest that we approach a different style for future projects. I will also relay information about educational programmes to our Museum Services Division. The numerous leaflets, pamphlets, and brochures I have accumulated through the programme will be beneficial to them. In terms of conservation, we were given samples of different tissues and foams during one session on object handling. I will show these to our conservation team and to our supply requisitions officer, so we can find local suppliers to provide us with conservation-grade materials. I have also taken photographs in NMS of their different storage systems such as cabinets with cutout plastazotes for small items and rolled storage racks for textiles. This will also be a good reference when we change our old storage fixtures. Funding has always been our biggest challenge, and the current lack of staff. I just finished adding programmes in our annual report for next year, and I was dismayed to see that our entire budget in the division was significantly cut. Regarding staffing issues, I know that it will get better in the future as we are in the process of recruiting more employees. Sustaining passion is also a challenge for the NM; there is a need to be constantly reminded of why we do what we do. The BM has such a passionate and encouraging staff whose knowledge extends outside their line of work a true model institution. Slowly, we at the NM are going to make things better one step at a time. In the near future, I hope to study a Master s degree in Museum Studies or any related field. As far as I know, there is no university in the Philippines offering Museology or Museum Studies. Currently, I am trying my luck in applying for international scholarships to universities with a museum-related master s degree. I would never have decided to continue with a career in this sector if it weren t for the ITP. By giving me more skills and knowledge, ITP gave me a feeling of confidence and an even stronger sense of purpose. I am a chronic worrier; I always doubt myself. But with everything I experienced in this programme, my confidence grew significantly to continue doing what has to be done. It is purpose which guides action this is what I wrote in my statement of interest at the beginning of my application. After connecting with all these passionate people I met, the feeling is stronger now. The path of a cultural worker is difficult, but now I have more than just my will to carry on.

5 I am eternally grateful to the British Museum, the ITP team, and my sponsor, the Marie-Louise von Motesiczky Charitable Trust, for making this learning experience possible. It means so much to me. Thank you for reaching out to a country situated on the far side of the world, thank you for involving us in the ITP network! Mabuhay ITP!