Art Museum of Southeast Texas curator Mariah Rockefeller ISSUE photo by Andy Coughlan
AMSET’s Mariah Rockefeller excited to showcase museum, community
Mariah Rockefeller’s loves to talk about art, and the Art Museum of Southeast Texas’ curator loves to hear from visitors as well..
“I love talking about it — I learn something new every time I talk about it,” she said.
Rockefeller gave as example February’s “Enigma Variations” show, which featured a large collage by Marilyn Lanfear that was entirely made out of buttons.
“A visitor (pointed out) that the title was at the bottom of the piece in different colored buttons. I hadn’t noticed it before — and I did the condition report,” Rockefeller said, with a slightly sheepish smile. “So I learn things from people.”
Talking to visitors and artists helps Rockefeller develop programming to challenge and excite the community, she said.
“I want to know what people like about the museum, what people don’t like about the museum,” she said. “I want to know what they want to see, what kind of art they make or their grandma makes.
“It’s the best way to get to know a place — talk to the people. I think I’m still listening to what people really want here. I am getting out and talking to people as much as I can to listen.
“We can put on exhibitions and bring artists here, but if it’s not for people to see, then it’s not really worth doing. If it’s not something that challenges people and it’s not something that speaks truth to art and truth to life then it’s not worth doing. It’s really basic.”
The Houston native attended the University of St. Thomas before transferring to University of Houston where she graduated in 2012 with a studio arts sculpture degree and a minor in art history.
Rockefeller no longer makes art of her own, she said.
“Work is my first love,” she said. “I think, right away in college, I found I enjoyed talking about and working with other artists more than I enjoyed creating my own work, which I think was really telling at the time.”
Mariah Rockefeller ISSUE photo by Andy Coughlan
Rockefeller worked at the Harris Gallery while she was in college and continued to work there for 10 years before working as a gallery manager in Austin. She returned to Texas to work at William Reeves and Sarah Foltz (now just Sarah Foltz) Gallery which specializes in Texas art. Rockefeller said Texas art has always been her focus.
“It’s what I know the best — it’s what I’ve worked with for so long,” she said. “There are a lot of contemporary Texas artists. The historical Texas is something I’ve been growing to learn and love over the past couple of years. Predominantly because of my professional career, that’s what I’ve been focusing on.”
Rockefeller joined AMSET as a registrar in November. She said was made aware of the museum when previous curator Sarah Beth Wilson joined the museum. The pair had met professionally in 2011 when Rockefeller organized Art Houston, an event featuring commercial galleries in Houston.
“I love the programming and the collection — it’s just unparalleled here,” she said. “When I saw the opportunity to come here as registrar, I was really excited about that because it was the best way to get to know the collection and exhibitions.”
After three months, Wilson left to take a job in Houston and Rockefeller moved to the curator position.
“When it happened it seemed like a natural transition,” she said.
As curator, Rockefeller is responsible for a diverse range of museum duties, including organizing and programming of exhibitions, including touring exhibits, as well as anything related to the permanent collection.
“(I) make sure other institutions aware of our permanent collection,” she said. “We really focus on making our collection available for other institutions to borrow.”
Rockefeller also looks to acquire works for the permanent collection, to build the best collection possible. There are several ways AMSET acquires new works.
“One of the ideas is that we exhibit work by artists we would like to have included in the collection,” she said. “For example, we are acquiring a work by Steve Brudniak who was in the ‘Enigma Variations’ show. Sometime works are donated by artists. From that show, Angelica Paez’s collages, she donated three to the collection. Some are donations, some are purchases — it’s a mix.”
Rockefeller said she is most exited to use her skills here to bring works out of the collection that haven’t been seen for a while, to really focus on what’s so strong about the museum already.
“The folk art collection here is something I have a lot of interest in,” she said. “I have a dedicated interest in doing research and programing related to that.
Rockefeller said that she is slowly discovering Southeast Texas is fertile ground for the arts.
“It’s amazing how many people I’ve met, they don’t say right away that they’re an artist, but you get talking and they will let you know in some way, because they’re very proud of it,” she said. “It’s been kind of a pattern. I’ve seen some of the work that people have shown me and it’s been fantastic. It’s not a crafty town and there are a lot of great artists here — and a lot of great artists that have come from here.”
Rockefeller said her original understanding of Beaumont was through some of the well-known artists from the Southeast Texas — Paul Manes, John Alexander, Richard Stout, Maudee Carrón.
“These artists that have come from here and talk constantly about the area and the richness — everything that made it so magical to them,” she said. “Keith Carter I’m just getting to know. I’m really looking forward to getting to know people like that.
“It seems to me there’s a really solid support system of artists supporting other artists, putting the onus on me to get around — you’re not going to find it if you don’t look around.”
The role of a curator is to represent AMSET to the local community and the arts community at large, Rockefeller said.
“It’s really not about me,” she said. “I think a curator’s job is to elevate the museum and the artwork in it, and the people that make it what it is. My job isn’t very tough here, with the (quality of) work and the people.”
Rockefeller said she enjoys all aspects of the job, especially AMSET’s emphasis on art and the artists. She said she encourages people to attend the opening receptions to not only see the show, but also hear a gallery talk, often from the artists themselves.
“What better way to understand the work and decide whether or not you liked and why,” she said. “Just by coming to the opening, or family arts day, or just coming to the front desk and asking if you can talk to the curator.
“I think that’s something that I wish people would do. If I could stand at the front desk and give tours all the time I would.”
Rockefeller said it is a serious offer for people to ask if she is available.
“I think that’s my job, to make sure that a conversation is started — and there is a conversation to be had,” she said. “We don’t just put stuff out for us or for preservation — museums are not mausoleums.”
AMSET is located at 500 Main St. in downtown Beaumont.
For more, visit www.amset.org.
Story by Andy Coughlan, ISSUE editor