Art history students’ museum exhibit unearths four centuries of Indian history

During the fall 2024 semester, George Mason University students had the opportunity to apply their classroom curriculum to a real-world museum environment. The students, led by art history professor Robert DeCaroli, worked directly with objects in the holdings of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Asian Art as part of the ARTH 495/595 Curating an Exhibit course. 

Through a partnership with the National Museum of Asian Art and the generosity of Debra Diamond, the curator for South and Southeast Asian art,  DeCaroli’s students studied painted miniatures and manuscript pages dated 1500-1800 from India’s Rajput and Pahari Courts. Students curated their own online exhibit and designed all of the museum-related materials necessary for their display, including labels, wall texts, catalog entries, educational programming, gallery talks and more. 

Senior Charmaine Mapp explained that museum curation begins with the intention of education. “You need to know what this culture is and what story you're trying to tell,” Mapp said.  

From there, the students proposed what they wanted to do based on the 14 paintings they had selected.  

“We considered the stories presented in these paintings,” said Mapp, who is a business major. “What did we want to say with our exhibition? What did we want our theme to be, and how would everything connect?”  

DeCaroli’s class ultimately settled on the theme of “Loving Krishna: Four Centuries of Indian Painting,” a title which has a double meaning, referring to the Hindu deity as both a loving god and the object of his followers’ love. The exhibit is currently on view at Fenwick Library until February 15. 

For DeCaroli, the course is just as rewarding for him as it is for his students. “It has been a joy watching the students feel connected to their paintings,” he said. “That enthusiasm provides motivation for excellent research into the history and meaning of the artwork.” 

With George Mason’s proximity to Washington, D.C., dedicated faculty members and generous community partners, there is so much for students to explore both within and outside of the classroom.  

Mapp has been interested in curation for as long as she can remember. “When you walk into a museum or a gallery, you just see the end result. But you often don’t realize that that's created from nothing. So, this was a really good experience, especially being able to go into the archives, work with the actual paintings, and meet people who worked at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art,” she said. 

“If you’re interested in art, history, or any other field, look at the classes available,” said Mapp. “I didn't know that Curating an Exhibition was a class until I looked in the course catalog. Courses like this really allow you to get more hands-on experience, develop relationships with professors, and make connections that lead to special opportunities.”  

“I have been impressed with the class's professionalism and collaborative spirit,” said DeCaroli. “Exhibitions are group efforts and good communication skills are vital to a successful project. This class has been exemplary in that regard.”