QUT's Digital Collections

For this internship I worked with the QUT Digital Collections, a collection managed by the QUT Library. This company “brings together digitised and born digital collections for dissemination to and reuse by the global community” The collections curate and reimagine donated local heritage materials and items that are used in various faculties for teaching and learning, primarily via open access.

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      As a Digital Collection Intern, my role focused on curating, restoring & reimagining donated materials to allow for greater access and appreciation of the collection while preserving the integrity of the original materials. Working with QUT Alumni & DC staff to create an exhibition for the L’Estrange Collection filled with photos, objects and videos that document L’Estrange family life across the globe was an especially rewarding experience for both me and the donors. I also worked to restore alumni donated fashion portfolios that will hopefully be used as resources in future fashion units.

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      The work I undertook for this internship largely focused on three topics – the L’Estrange Collection & Exhibition, the restoration of a Fashion Portfolio & the Reuse & distribution of DC materials (including animations and gifs).

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      Working with the Digital Collections allowed me to understand the importance of open access initiatives, both personally and professionally in fostering international industry connections. I also found a passion in the investigation and preservation of personally and culturally significant materials to illuminate their unseen value in the continuous societal search for identity. Working with materials from the L’Estrange collection & it’s living relatives allowed me to realise the importance of the work in historical & cultural contexts. In exploring these ever-present topics, I gained a greater understanding for archival projects and reframed the context in my artistic practice. My involvement with this collection reinforced my obsessive focus on our place in the intricate workings of the natural world, evolved my view of environment as identity & explained society’s ability to subscribe meaning to individual & family histories much like works of art.

 

      The detailed nature of the colouring books was designed to provide a reflective space for the spectator & invite them to become a part of the piece though the reflection on their own familiar histories – a design exemplified by Artist Bridget riley. Like Riley’s work, detail creates a “veil”, through which the audience sees themselves, actualising their own memories & histories in the space between their eyes and the image’s surface (Riley, 2010).  Thus, the spectator is called to actively participate in the work, their eye guided to “travel over the surface in a way parallel to the way it moves over nature. It should feel caressed and soothed, experience frictions and ruptures, glide and drift” (Riley, 2019). In the depiction of personal and family lives, the works of the L’Estrange collection create a sense of nostalgia for the viewers, cultivating their attention and directing it to the world around them (Jamison, 2020).

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      My skills as an artist have improved significantly this semester due to the challenging nature of working in a fast-paced work environment that caters to the needs of the client & not the grading criteria. I found this switch in focus prompted me to explore different styles of animation & design I hadn’t previously considered. This collaborative process was also a great opportunity to cultivate connections in the workplace and network with professionals from other workplaces.

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Learning Outcomes:

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      I can offer an employer excellent client focused service (as recognised & rewarded by QUT), a curiosity for knowledge that cultivates reliable Digital literacy skills evolving with the industry standard and a dependable work ethic. Resilient work ethic in fast paced workplace environments and dependable in completing projects to a high standard. Proven skills to curate, create & present work for exceptionally received exhibitions (Logan art gallery solo show & L’Estrange Exhibition). I have passion driven experience across multiple subsets of the creative industries with a wide range of experience and skills in Literary, Animation, Accessibility, Social Networking & Fine Art circles that provide a unique perspective 

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Opportunities for employment after graduation are already presenting themselves in my chosen industries: with a continuing role in QUT’s Digital Collections to preserve historical materials & create additional resources as well a contract at the QUT library focused on the preservation and access to physical/digital collections &facilitation of resources for study.  

  

Ultimately, I envision a career that compliments my interests in the creative industries through freelance endeavours created for and assisting the Queer & Disabled communities while also pursuing employment with a corporation that supports open access initiatives.   

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I’ll recognise my achievements by creating tangible goals with specified outcomes while also remaining mindful of personal goals and ensuring I view unexpected outcomes (personally and professionally) as leaning opportunities and not failures.