I am particularly interested in the juxtaposition of different disciplines, media and collection areas and have a personal interest in medical history and in mental illness and treatment.
My research project worked towards Screaming Steel: Art, War and Trauma 1914-1918, an exhibition that was at the Hatton Gallery, Newcastle University (from 20 September until 13 December 2014).
As well as bringing together works by some of the leading and innovative artists of the time from national collections, the exhibition also sets out to challenge contemporary perceptions of those who suffer from mental illness. Although these have significantly improved over the past 100 years, we are still mired in prejudice and misinformation.
There were some very poignant moments during the research. As part of this, I spent time at the British Library looking through volumes of letters from Wilfred Owen, Isaac Rosenberg and Rupert Brooke.
At the end of the Brooke volume, I found a group of olive leaves sent to his lover Cathleen Nesbitt by the officer who buried him on the Greek island of Skyros in 1915.
This unexpected find brought tears to my eyes but it was topped by my visit to Rosenberg’s grave in northern France. We got lost many times before eventually arriving at twilight to find it piled with little stones left by visitors in his memory.
Since the exhibition opened, I have been given a short-term secondment to the post of research manager at Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums for two days a week.
This, alongside my continuing work as keeper of art across three art galleries, is enabling me to further develop my research skills and my understanding of working in partnership with our local universities, Newcastle and Northumbria.
Amy Barker is the keeper of art and the acting research manager at Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums
My research project worked towards Screaming Steel: Art, War and Trauma 1914-1918, an exhibition that was at the Hatton Gallery, Newcastle University (from 20 September until 13 December 2014).
As well as bringing together works by some of the leading and innovative artists of the time from national collections, the exhibition also sets out to challenge contemporary perceptions of those who suffer from mental illness. Although these have significantly improved over the past 100 years, we are still mired in prejudice and misinformation.
There were some very poignant moments during the research. As part of this, I spent time at the British Library looking through volumes of letters from Wilfred Owen, Isaac Rosenberg and Rupert Brooke.
At the end of the Brooke volume, I found a group of olive leaves sent to his lover Cathleen Nesbitt by the officer who buried him on the Greek island of Skyros in 1915.
This unexpected find brought tears to my eyes but it was topped by my visit to Rosenberg’s grave in northern France. We got lost many times before eventually arriving at twilight to find it piled with little stones left by visitors in his memory.
Since the exhibition opened, I have been given a short-term secondment to the post of research manager at Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums for two days a week.
This, alongside my continuing work as keeper of art across three art galleries, is enabling me to further develop my research skills and my understanding of working in partnership with our local universities, Newcastle and Northumbria.
Amy Barker is the keeper of art and the acting research manager at Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums
