On Jan. 9, Class of 1954 Intern Sara Shelton ’26 gave a “Space for Dialogue” gallery talk for her debut exhibit at the Hood Museum. Her gallery, “You Just Gotta Laugh,” focuses on how viewers engage with humor. Drawing from the Hood’s permanent collection, Shelton’s installation invites viewers to spend a few minutes laughing. The Dartmouth sat down with Shelton to discuss her new gallery, her experience as a Hood intern and her love for art.
What did the process of putting the gallery together entail?
SS: For the most part, my process was very straightforward. All the pieces in the gallery are already in Hood’s collection, and I had to make sure they were not about to go on loan or hadn’t been recently displayed. Because many of my pieces were smaller or physical objects on display, I was able to fit 11 pieces in the exhibit, compared to the typical five.
Obtaining the physical artworks was more challenging. I submitted a list of 17 or 18 works I was interested in including in my show. Working with the registrar, I got to bring pieces out of museum storage and view them in person. Some pieces appeared different in person compared to the database. For instance, I wanted to include this t-shirt, but it was oxidized from sweat. I realized people would not think that it was funny — they’d probably think it’s gross.
The museum has strong resources for curation, including the registration center, which houses files for all the pieces. These files documented the acquisition process for each piece and greatly helped my research, which was a major part of my role as curator.
Lastly, Ryan Soper, the exhibition designer, helped me pick my wallpaper color and manage my gallery layout. I even framed all the pieces myself. The day before my talk, I vividly remember seeing the installation for the first time. I really felt like I had the opportunity to make the gallery my own.
How did you get involved with the Hood and the internship program?
SS: As an art history major, I naturally spend a lot of time at the Hood. I loved going to its viewing rooms to examine pieces for class or exploring the galleries. I always dreamed of working at a museum. Encouraged by older art history majors, I applied and landed the job of programming intern. Beyond working on my gallery, a major part of the internship was collaborating with the campus engagement interns to create on-campus programming that would help students engage with the Hop.
I loved that the process allowed me to toe the line between presenting a project that is carefree and light, while also bringing people into a museum and teaching them about the importance of art. I was given a lot of autonomy over the layout, the pieces and the storyline. No one was holding my hand and telling me what to do, but I had a lot of resources and support from the museum that were there as helping hands.
What inspired you to use humor as a theme for your exhibit? What principles guided you in collecting the featured pieces?
SS: On campus, I do improv with Casual Thursday, so presenting something to make people laugh is what I love to do. So, when it came to presenting an idea to an audience through my exhibit, I naturally focused my gallery on humor.
I really enjoy complex art that tells a story and helps give you a better perspective on the world. But I also love art that makes the everyday feel a little more important or interesting. In my opinion, the art pieces that are simpler to decode are the ones that feel more approachable. I wanted my audience to be able to approach a piece in my exhibit, take two to five minutes looking at it, and be like, “I get this,” or even crack a smile.
What were your main takeaways from the exhibit and your experience of working at the Hood?
SS: One of my main takeaways is that museum curation is much more work than I previously thought and requires a lot of help. I am so grateful for all the support and resources the Hood has given me for this project.
Secondly, my experience curating this exhibition on humor and giving my “Space for Dialogue Talk” to people at the exhibit reaffirmed my love for entertaining people, a love I’ve carried through my time at Dartmouth while performing for Casual Thursday.
What do you hope viewers will take away from the experience of visiting your exhibit?
SS: A barrier that might scare people away from art and art history is the learning curve involved in understanding pieces. Even as someone who loves art and has studied the discipline for almost four years, I can get confused or intimidated by unfamiliar concepts or themes.
I wanted viewers to enter a space that didn’t necessarily need to give them an entirely new perspective on the world. Rather, I hope my exhibit gives viewers a better understanding of how they already live. I want the exhibit to be a space where people can just laugh.
I hope people go and see art because it’s fun and humorous. I want them to get it without feeling like they’re solving a complicated puzzle. At Dartmouth and in life, I often have to remind myself that sometimes things just aren’t that serious. Sometimes life feels overwhelming and chaotic, and we just need an exhibit of funny art to laugh at.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
