Behind the Display Case: The Gregory Allicar Museum of Art
In Colorado, when one thinks to go to a museum they think to go to Denver…not Fort Collins. Yet, tucked away in the University Center of the Arts building at Colorado State University, there’s a museum that quietly boasts an impressive assemblage of its own.
Compared to its nationwide counterparts, the Gregory Allicar Museum of Art (GAMA) is young and fairly small. But that doesn’t mean its collection is. With around 5,000 pieces currently, some of those artifacts range from a bust of Aphrodite and portraits of past kings, to African masks and an altar table from the Tibetan Qing Dynasty. It also boasts works from famous contemporary artists like Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol.
“We strive to be an encyclopedic collection representing all the culture all over the world over the entire course of human history,” said Lynn Boland, director and chief curator of GAMA.
The museum even has one of the largest collections of African ceramics outside of Africa. That includes collections in big name art museums like The Getty Center, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
“I’ve been told that the Prince of Denmark possibly has a larger collection of African ceramics,” said Boland. “But that would still make ours the largest public collection of African ceramics outside of Africa.”
In fact, GAMA has such an impressive collection that not all artifacts can fit its storage space. Rather, the museum takes up extra storage spaces around campus and constructs displays in different buildings to showcase and store more of its collection.
A Learning Institution
What the museum receives comes through donations 99% of the time. But not all are accepted. Some are rejected due to limited storage space, if the object doesn’t align with exhibition goals, or even if the materials in the artifact are problematic — like ivory tusks.
Doing right by the artifact, its history and the public is ultimately the pinnacle goal for the museum. Regardless of how many artifacts are offered or how much they are worth, it won’t be considered if it can’t be used for education and enjoyment.
Education isn’t just considering the guests of the museum, but the students who often learn about art preservation and research through these objects.
Suzanne Hale, GAMA’s registrar and collection manager, says many universities will focus on western European art classes, but CSU doesn’t exactly fit the mold. GAMA is used by professors not only to teach traditional western courses but also courses on oceanic, African, and indigenous art.
Class visits to the gallery are common as the American, African, and Hartford-Tandstad galleries are permanent exhibits in place that many CSU educators rely on to build their curriculums.
Hale teaches a class for students called “From Storage to Exhibition.” Using GAMA’s collection, she helps students to learn about the behind-the-scenes considerations for these artifacts.
She described the acquisition process as this:
1) A piece of work is offered to the museum.
2) The museum will have a curator with expertise in that area inspect it and decide if it fits with the collection plan.
3) If it fits, then the piece is offered to the collection committee of GAMA’s advisory board.
4) Once approved, a deed of gift is sent out to all parties for ownership to transfer to the museum.
5) From there, the artifact is researched and catalogued appropriately.
6) It has a chance of being in an exhibit if the piece fits within the exhibition theme.
7) If chosen, a preparator will help design and create a proper display frame or stand for the artifact to make it into the gallery.
Students learning this process also get to participate in hands-on projects working to help with the protection and display of these artifacts.
Within one of the museum’s storage facilities, some of these projects can be seen around the many prints, pots, and paraphernalia. If you’ve ever seen or imagined those shelves with the three-spoke handles that students like to run through before it fully closes…this is that place. Those high-density storage shelves act as artifact placeholders that students get to train with.
Some have created protective frames with Styrofoam and cardboard to help stack beaded African skirts. Others created donut-shaped rings for African pots with circular bottoms to sit safely. And currently, students are beginning to help inventory and matte various Andy Warhol polaroid photographs the museum recently received.
Through interactions with these artifacts, students learn the meticulous and important work of maintenance. And by getting hands-on learning with these artifacts, students are able to grow in the mindsets of ethical acquisition, attribution, and appreciation.
Continuing to Evolve
Though it may have a small budget and staff, the museum holds itself to a high standard when it comes to the ethical maintenance and acquisition of artifacts.
“With our collection, from what we know right now, most everything has been received and maintained in an appropriate manner, an ethical manner,” said Hale.
GAMA extensively inspects each piece in the collection under the idea of due diligence. This is to avoid the unjust ownership of art. For example, if a piece was taken around World War II (a notable era of art desecration and theft) or if the artifact was looted from a Native American gravesite, these would be red flags that would have the museum start on the path of repatriation.
Boland describes this research process as a group effort with museum staff, field experts, and even students. Samples of artifact materials can be tested through instruments like lasers and X-ray technology to analyze every layer of the piece, the chemical compositions, and give rough dating estimates for the artifact. The museum also utilizes the expertise of CSU professors when it comes to researching the artifact’s provenance.
By utilizing relationships with experts and one another, museums like GAMA are working constantly to evolve.
“One of the real advantages of being as young as we are is coming into it as an institution knowing of the pitfalls of the past and [being] able to avoid some of the things that institutions didn’t realize as much,” said Boland. “Whether it’s ethical issues around provenance, attributions, or forgeries — or even just issues of diversity and inclusion in the collection or in the way we interpret and talk about it.”
Boland believes art museums are meant to be relatable, aiming to change public perception that museums are these preeminent strongholds of knowledge.
“We are, hopefully, a very trustworthy institution that is opening up questions and sharing ideas but not in a way that closes them off, in a way that really opens them up to further consideration and further discussion.”
Every piece in GAMA’s collection is owned by the people of Colorado for the enjoyment of all. Hence why Boland encourages more CSU students and Colorado residents to come explore the exhibits for themselves.
For whatever one may find when walking inside, Boland believes there is always something people can come to appreciate regardless of their tastes or interests.
It may be shocking that CSU’s art museum boasts such a robust collection, but to those working behind-the-scenes, it’s just another day in the office. And there’s always more work to be done. So, while the museum may be tucked away, it works diligently to provide the public with remarkable and respectable art.
