Database Management System

On my first day at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), I was assigned
to theArt of Asia, Oceania, and Africa (AAOA) Department. I was
introduced to the museum’s staff members by my immediate
supervisor, Suhyung Kim (Kim Su-hyung), a research
associate of Korean art, who gave me instructions
on my duties and responsibilities. It was decided
that I would work on a regular full-time schedule,
Monday through Friday, but with flexible work
hours. All the staff members of the AAOA welcomed
me warmly, while Jane Portal, the Matsutaro Shoriki
chair, offered useful tips for an easier and more convenient
experience, in and out of the museum.

I first learned how to use the TMS (The Museum System) database
for management of all aspects of the museum. It is used to record data on
all accessioned s and to gather comprehensive data from curatorial department sources. So the TMS training is essential for all museum staff. I received an introductory training on TMS from the Information Resources Department to learn the basic functions. This was followed by two seminar classes on more advanced TMS functions.

Compiling Data on Korean Artifacts

My main task involved the Korean painting collection, in terms of identifying new materials and placing the data into the appropriate files. The MFA houses 117 Korean paintings that are registered on TMS. Along with 42 Buddhist and Daoist paintings, there are about 70 general painting and calligraphy works. While there existed various files concerning the Buddhist paintings and ceramics (mostly celadon), I could found only a few files on the Korean general paintings. I looked over manuscripts in the file cabinets and began to supplement the files with useful new data that I found at the museum library.

I organized my research results into four categories according to the existing file format: 1) first page or manuscript notes, 2) comparative data, 3) literature, and 4) photographic images. I looked through the exhibition catalogues and collection databases of other museums online to gather material for comparative research. Although it is a time-consuming process to look for comparative research data, it is required for style analysis and in-depth study. While browsing for relevant papers and other concerned literature, I noticed a serious lack of recently published Korean academic content and exhibition catalogues. So I asked Jane Portal about acquiring more Korean books for the museum. She agreed to consider my suggestion and asked me to prepare a list of publications that would be useful for the MFA. While making a list, I realized the acute need for more Korean books to be published in English in order to introduce Korean history, society, and arts to the Western world.

Gaining Insight from Work Assignments
Aside from entering data into the files, I spent much time viewing the Korean painting collection in the museum’s storage. Suhyung Kim brought out the “Goshawk on a Perch” painting for my viewing because he knew about my particular interest in this painting, which was the subject of my academic essay. Viewing a masterpiece like this is a valuable opportunity for young scholars studying art history to deepen their artistic insight. In October, Professor Insoo Cho (Cho In-soo), a visiting scholar at the Korean Institute at Harvard University, started his research on the MFA’s Korean paintings. He gave me a lot of helpful advice and information about the paintings and taught me about research methods and scholarly perspectives. I took careful notes of his remarks and took photographs to support his research. The new data entered into the TMS became a useful resource for in-house conferences.

Though only an intern, thanks to Jane Portal’s consideration, I was allowed to participate in AAOA monthly meetings and discussions related to the renovation of the Korean gallery to be reopened in 2012. While offering my opinions whenever asked, I assisted in the fine-tuning of a preliminary design and verifying various details. These meetings and processes helped me realize the complexity of problems involved in the opening of a gallery, from concept development through planning and design. Ms. Portal also conducted a working session for the museum staff on November 14 to carefully examine the Korean paintings, with particular regard to clarifying their country of origin through cooperation with researchers at other departments. I summarized and presented Professor Cho’s comments for other staff members who were absent from the session.

Events and Lectures
Apart from my assignments, I was able to participate in a variety of activities outside of the MFA. The Gallery Talk sessions were informative since interaction between a curator and the public is always interesting and stimulating. In particular, the “Friends of Asian Art” event, held on October 13, left a strong impression on me. In a lecture titled “A History of the Chinese Jade Collection in the British Museum and How Science is Helping to Re-evaluate It,” Carol Michaelson, curator of Chinese Art at the British Museum, described how the museum acquired its Chinese jade collection over the years and various activities that were influential in this process. Guests with an interest in Asian art and museum supporters listened intently to the lecture and then asked so many questions the program ran over the scheduled time.

I also attended the Early Korea Project Workshop on “Silk Road Glass in Korea,” held at the Korea Institute of Harvard University on September 30. The presentations by Lee In-sook, Kwon Oh-young, Kim Gyu-ho, and James Lankton helped me gain a broadened perspective on early trade via the Silk Road.

Thanks to the kind consideration of Ms. Portal and Professor Yukio Lippit, I also attended a course on “Japanese Woodblock Prints” on Monday and Wednesday afternoons at Harvard University. The course provided an introduction to Japanese art and cultural history through a survey of woodblock printing from its emergence in the mid-17th century up through the modern era. Professor Lippit dealt with the technical development of woodblock prints, major genres of ukiyo-e, and master artists in the context of Japan’s painting tradition, printing industry, and evolving urban culture. Since I have much interest in the cultural interactions between China, Japan, and Korea, this course offered me considerable knowledge and insight.

When I started my internship at the MFA, I was concerned that the three-month period would not be enough time for me to undertake all the tasks assigned to me. Becoming familiar with TMS applications and prioritizing assignments, however, I went about my work with considerable confidence as well as a sense of satisfaction for my contributions. I deeply appreciate all the support and assistance from the MFA and, of course, from the Korea Foundation as well.

Dayun Oh (Oh Da-yun) KF Global Museum Intern