- Can the institution be trusted with what kinds of data/material and indeed 'sensitive cultural property'?
- Who is making what value judgments with what expertise/qualifications and in what contexts?
- Who has access to, and are being excluded access to, collections and in what circumstances?
- Who has privileged access to collections and to related data such as this – and in what circumstances?
- How is security policed and what is the assessed risk of the collections leaking?
- What checks and balances are in place, when are they activated, how and by whom?
- Are the prevailing 'deaccession processes' adequate, appropriate and reflective of 'best practice'?
- What review processes are in place, when are they actually activate, by whom and in what circumstances?
These questions hang in the air without a function mechanism in place to have them addressed. Moreover, without an independent functional governing authority to conduct critical reviews and operational audits such questions are ever likely to hang in the air and remain unanswered.
In addition, without such a means to address such questions how can funding agencies, private sponsors, corporate sponsors, et al invest their trust in an institution that is demonstrably disinclined to undertake appropriate 'due diligence'?
NB: This case has significance not in respect of the missing data/information but in circumstance the search for it demonstrates. Putting the specific case to one side, like situations present models where there has been a breach of trust.
______________________________________
From:
Martin George <Martin.George@launceston.tas.gov.au>
Date: Saturday, 14 April 2018 at 3:46 pm
Date: Saturday, 14 April 2018 at 3:46 pm
Dear Ray,
Thank you for your enquiry to Richard Mulvaney about the matter of Bob Mesibov's material related to wickery and basketry.
I understand that you have now been sent the text that Bob had written about this subject, and that you are now seeking to make use of Bob's slides.
I have ascertained that these slides were deposited with a former staff member of QVMAG and that these would be part of a very large collection of slides that were carefully kept in dedicated slide sleeves at the Art Gallery. The reason for this would have been that at the time, their subject matter was considered to be most closely related to the decorative arts than any other topic here at QVMAG.
I have personally made a start on locating these slides for you amongst our vast collection and will appoint a staff member to continue checking the files in order to locate the images.
Regards,
Martin George | Collections and Research Manager | Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
T 03 63233714 | M(Cell) 0437 688824 | www.qvmag.tas.gov.au
T 03 63233714 | M(Cell) 0437 688824 | www.qvmag.tas.gov.au
_____________________________________________
From: Ray Norman
Date: Saturday, 7 April 2018 at 3:44 pm
To: Jon Addison
Cc: Richard Mulvaney
Subject: RE: Bob Mesibov notes and slides
Date: Saturday, 7 April 2018 at 3:44 pm
To: Jon Addison
Cc: Richard Mulvaney
Subject: RE: Bob Mesibov notes and slides
Hello Jon,
This search becomes more
and more bewildering with every email. The notion that this material is “now found that they were
deposited with Glenda King” is
both extraordinary and bewildering as knowledge of this information was the very basis of my original request for information
– See my email Wednesday, 7
March 2018 at 2:52 pm below.
I realise that the research
aspirations of people outside the institution are peripheral and of marginal
importance and interest. Thus, it appears as if attendance to it must remain
discretionary otherwise the QVMAG’s work would grind to a screaming halt.
Speaking on behalf of others, who tell that it’s just easier to go away and
wonder what might have been – but
I’m disinclined.
You suggest that I need to
be “patient” until you let me know that you
have found this material at which point you will let me know – one might be forgiven for calling
this an open-ended disingenuous promise otherwise known as a FOBoff.
With just about 20 years of
using the QVMAG as a musingplace in various contexts, I think that I’ve
demonstrated my patience in technicolour and quite likely my unwelcomed
persistence as well– but
there we go I’ll just have to, as they say on the streets, learn to “suck it up”.
As much as anyone, I think
I can lay claim to having some knowledge of the dishevelled state of what
passed for record keeping at the QVMAG not to mention the institution’s
porosity and its occasional short-falls – and
this goes for a great many
other places/institutions with a propensity to be claiming to be ‘punching above their weight’.
It quite simply comes with the territory!
However, it is way past the
time for HISTORYsmoothing here as we’ll just have to learn to
acknowledge along with whatever strengths there are, recognise the
incapacities, weaknesses and failures – and
they are a legion. Once acknowledged they can be worked on and with. Sadly,
it seems that they haven’t been, so they are, apparently, being given scant attention!
In addition, what I find
quite extraordinary is the dismissal of any notion that, over time, the QVMAG
has regarded wickery/basketry as culturally
and socially unimportant given
that it is largely the output of the underclasses, rouges and vagabonds, the
poor, invalids, et al. The evidence seems to be compelling that it is the case
that wickery ju8st does not figure in the cultural landscape. Increasingly, it
is becoming evident that the QVMAG is not alone given the apparent
disinclination of ‘public
institutions’ to pay any
attention to this aspect of cultural production in any context – and by extension Tasmanian cultural
and social realities.
Indeed, in an earlier email
I noted that the same kind of assertion has been made for the TMAG but it has
turned out somewhat differently –
albeit that there are not vast numbers and the wickery is there in
various/disparate contexts. So, as I asked before, the question arises,
just what wickery (basketry and related material) is in fact held in the
QVMAG’s collections. Surely there’d be a record of that but I suspect that
there’ll be the lack of “available
resources” to make such an investigation.
Regards,
Ray
Ray Norman
<zingHOUSEunlimited>
The lifestyle design
enterprise and research network
PH: 03-6334 2176
EMAIL 1: raynorman7250@bigpond.com
40 Delamere Crescent
Trevallyn TAS. 7250
“A body of men holding
themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by
anybody.” Thomas Paine
“The standard you walk past
is the standard you accept” David Morrison
From: Jon Addison
Date: Friday, 6 April 2018 at 5:28 pm
To: raynorman7250@bigpond.com
Subject: Bob Mesibov's Basket-making files
Date: Friday, 6 April 2018 at 5:28 pm
To: raynorman7250@bigpond.com
Subject: Bob Mesibov's Basket-making files
Dear Ray,
We have been following up on your request for Bob Mesibov's
basketry files and are getting closer to locating them.
We have now found that they were deposited with Glenda King, and
should be in the Visual Art and Design files. Unfortunately, these are
currently being sorted, re-filed and moved from a temporary storage location in
the History section back to Royal Park, and as a result we have not yet managed
to locate the material. A conversation with Bob has confirmed that the material
is just a small number of transparencies and a single page of notes. There
could also be a few colour prints with detailed descriptions on back of them,
but he is not certain that these were given to us.
Please be patient and bear with us and we will let you know if
they are located.
I should point out that they have not been deliberately buried
because of any perceived status of basket making, but are simply part of a very
large backlog of physical files that with current staffing and resourcing
levels we have simply lacked the time and priority to deal with.
Our VAD staff currently have a very high workload with
time-sensitive deadlines, and they will look for Bob's material when time
allows.
Best regards,
Jon.
Jon Addison | Curator, History |
Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
PO Box 403 | LAUNCESTON | TAS 7250
T 61 3 6323 3784 | www.qvmag.tas.gov.au
Please note: I work 8.30am to 5.30pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and 9am to 2pm every second Saturday.
PO Box 403 | LAUNCESTON | TAS 7250
T 61 3 6323 3784 | www.qvmag.tas.gov.au
Please note: I work 8.30am to 5.30pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and 9am to 2pm every second Saturday.
___________________________________
From: David
Maynard
Date: Friday, 6 April 2018 at 2:23 pm
To: Ray Norman
Cc: Richard Mulvaney
Subject: RE: Bob Mesibov notes and slides
Date: Friday, 6 April 2018 at 2:23 pm
To: Ray Norman
Cc: Richard Mulvaney
Subject: RE: Bob Mesibov notes and slides
Mr Norman,
My section, Natural Sciences, was unable to help with your
enquiry. It was passed on to our History section. As I understand it Ross Smith
was dealing with your enquiry. I have asked Jon Addison for advice on the
progress of your enquiry.
David.
David Maynard I Curator Natural
Sciences I Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery T 03 6323 3796 I www.qvmag.tas.gov.au
_______________________________________________
From: Ray Norman
Sent: Friday, 6 April 2018 1:22 PM
To: David Maynard
Cc: Richard Mulvaney
Subject: FW: Bob Mesibov notes and slides
Sent: Friday, 6 April 2018 1:22 PM
To: David Maynard
Cc: Richard Mulvaney
Subject: FW: Bob Mesibov notes and slides
Good afternoon!
As we are now almost four
weeks on from where I made this request a not much less time since Ross Smith
called me to discuss the context of my request to help him in his hunt.
Since Ross called I’ve heard nothing and I’m assuming that is because
there is nothing to report. Nonetheless, this material is arguably quite unique
and given that Robert Mesibov entrusted the QVMAG to ‘keep’ this material, and I’m
assuming formally, I’m trusting that it can be found. If it cannot be found
this raises a number of questions –
some more serious or discomforting than others.
I would appreciate an
update on the search for this material and an indication of what you believe
the likely outcome will, or is likely, to be. Given the kindred material that
is coming to light from other sources and beyond Tasmania. In addition, the TMAG
via its various collections that include ‘wickery’ (basketry etc.), is turning up contextual information
of some interest, plus
there is the other information coming to attention via the WICKERY WONDERLUST
project etc. As a consequence, Robert Mesibov’s records become more
interesting.
Since I’ve been
investigating this work in its ‘Launceston’ context I’ve been given the impression
that the QVMAG has virtually no baskets in its collections. The same kind of
assertion was made for the TMAG but it turns out somewhat differently – albeit that there are not vast
numbers. So, the question arises, just what wickery (basketry and
related material) is in fact held in the QVMAG’s collections.
Regards,
Ray
Ray Norman
<zingHOUSEunlimited>
The lifestyle design
enterprise and research network
PH: 03-6334 2176
EMAIL 1: raynorman7250@bigpond.com
40 Delamere Crescent
Trevallyn TAS. 7250
“A body of men holding
themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by
anybody.” Thomas Paine
“The standard you walk past
is the standard you accept” David Morrison
_________________
From: Ray
Norman
Date: Wednesday, 7 March 2018 at 2:52 pm
To: David Maynard
Cc: Richard Mulvaney
Subject: Re: Bob Mesibov notes and slides
Date: Wednesday, 7 March 2018 at 2:52 pm
To: David Maynard
Cc: Richard Mulvaney
Subject: Re: Bob Mesibov notes and slides
Good afternoon!
Thank you for your email.
Given that my enquiry came out of direct correspondence between Richard, Bob
and myself as a part of my WICHERYresearch I simply asked Richard what I needed
to do in order that I might access the material that Bob reported that he had
donated to QVMAG. –He wrote … “Years ago I donated to QVMAG (through librarian
Kaye Dimmack) most of my basketmaking library. I also donated to QVMAG (through
curator Glenda King) a set of colour transparencies and notes that explain in
detail how to harvest and prepare wattle bark for bark baskets.” For context also see:http://willowweaverstasmania.blogspot.com.au/2018/02/dr-robert-bobmesibov.html
I apologise for the
inconvenience I seem to have cause by following my nose as I usually do when
researching. I also apologise if it seems that it might appear that there is
some criticism of some apparent lack in record keeping but it is something that
I encounter from time to time and not only at the QVMAG. Also, I’m receiving
queries about the online research methodology as it seems is too transparent
but there we go.
I look forward to seeing
this material if in fact it has survived the ravages of administrative change
and the passage of time. By repute amongst his network, I anticipate that Bob
will have made some interesting and quite likely rather important observations.
Regard,
Ray Norman
Ray Norman
<zingHOUSEunlimited>
The lifestyle design
enterprise and research network
PH: 03-6334 2176
EMAIL 1: raynorman7250@bigpond.com
40 Delamere Crescent
Trevallyn TAS. 7250
“A body of men holding
themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by
anybody.” Thomas Paine
“The standard you walk past
is the standard you accept” David Morrison
___________________________________________
From: David Maynard
Date: Wednesday, 7 March 2018 at 12:26 pm
To: raynorman
Cc: Richard Mulvaney, Martin George
Subject: Bob Mesibov notes and slides
Date: Wednesday, 7 March 2018 at 12:26 pm
To: raynorman
Cc: Richard Mulvaney, Martin George
Subject: Bob Mesibov notes and slides
Mr
Norman,
Your
enquiry regarding Bob Mesibov's notes and slides was passed on to me by Richard
Mulvaney. I have checked with the long term staff on my team and they are not
aware of these notes and slides. Your enquiry is being looked at by our History
section, in case they have been archived. You will hear from another staff
member in the near future about their search.
Can
I recommend that in future you use the public enquiries system established at
QVMAG it is the most efficient way to have enquiries addressed (enquiries@qvmag.tas.gov.au). Typically, enquiries are
answered within a fortnight.
Regards
David Maynard
Curator Natural Sciences
Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
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