The creative vision of University of Melbourne Art Curatorship students will be on display at a new exhibition opening this week at Buxton Contemporary.
Presented by Master of Curatorship students, Liminal Encounters is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the Faculty of Arts and Buxton Contemporary. The project gave students special access to artworks in the Michael Buxton Collection and the opportunity to learn directly from museum and gallery professionals.
Student Enya Hu said the course had given her valuable behind-the-scenes insights into how contemporary galleries operate.
"Being able to engage in person with artworks I'd only ever studied online was such a memorable experience. One that really stood out was Helen Johnson's History Problem. I first learned about it back in high school, so seeing it in person was astonishing," she said.
"Working directly with the collection has deepened my understanding of how exhibitions take shape through artworks. It's shown me ways to communicate an exhibition's story clearly and different techniques to make audiences feel something strong or be inspired to take action."
Master of Curatorship student Enya Hu. Picture by Sarah Hall.
Students worked in teams to present four distinct displays that bring new perspectives to the artworks through their unique curatorial lens. While each project follows its own enquiry, all four displays are unified by a central theme of liminality—a state of transition or ambiguity.
Liminal Encounters is the culmination of the Curating Art in Practice subject run in collaboration between the University's Museums and Collections department and the Master of Curatorship program in the Faculty of Arts.
The exhibition features more than 20 works by leading Australian artists including Mikayla Dwyer, Tony Clark, John Nixon, David Jolly, Laressa Kosloff, Tracey Moffatt, Peter Booth, Louise Weaver, David Noonan and James Lynch.
Primary collaborator Dr Kyla McFarlane (Academic Engagement Fellow, Museums and Collections) said the collaborative and hands-on nature of the project makes it unique.
"Learning inside one of Melbourne's leading contemporary art spaces has given these students a rare view of what it takes to curate a professional exhibition. Working with a major collection and supported by teachers, researchers, curators and gallery professionals, they've developed the skills and confidence needed to take their next steps as emerging curators," Dr McFarlane said.
Professor Jennifer Balint, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, said the project highlights the benefits of embedding practical and innovative cross-University expertise in teaching and learning.
"Building on the success of a pilot subject taught at the Grainger Museum in 2024, this collaboration with Buxton Contemporary is a fantastic way for our students to gain first-hand industry experience, and is testament to the potential of cross-pollination across faculties and departments," Professor Balint said.
Liminal Encounters opens to the public on Tuesday 14 October at Buxton Contemporary, accompanied by public programs designed and delivered by the student curators.
