Have Art, Will Travel: Kinsey Institute Launches Traveling Exhibitions

In an effort to share the extensive collections with a national and international audience beyond Indiana University, Bloomington, the Kinsey Institute is planning a variety of ‘traveling shows.’

Rebecca Fasman, a museum specialist, is managing this new initiative, which will showcase the extraordinary art, artifacts and photography collection. Fasman has had a broad career in museums, from curation to marketing. She holds a master’s degree in Museum Studies from New York University, and has worked with the National Gallery of Art, Deutsche Bank, the Guggenheim Museum, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago.

Fasman has been discussing possible collaborations with a number of venues and institutions, with an eye towards promoting exhibits that combine artworks and historical and social context, drawing on the Kinsey Institute Library as well as the Kinsey art collections. This furthers Dr. Alfred Kinsey’s initial intent of collecting “visual data” – to document expressions of sexual behavior, gender and sexual identity, and cultural practices around the world and throughout human history.

"Interactions with curators and artists about the Kinsey Institute collections have been very positive." says Fasman.

“We’d expect art museums to show interest, but because the collections are built ‘anthropologically,’ it also appeals to other venues, like science and cultural institutions. For example, a medical center or health conference may be interested in a show that highlights an aspect of reproduction or sexual functioning. The Kinsey collections allow for the artworks to be described and placed in historical and cultural context."

Kinsey Director Dr. Sue Carter hopes that the publicity and exposure will bring new attention from scholars, artists, and donors, and will increase international awareness of the extraordinary Kinsey Institute collections.

“The collections have a unique place in the history of the institute and an important role in documenting the history of sexuality,” says Dr. Carter. “Making these available to the broader public has long been a goal for the Kinsey Institute, and we are fortunate to have Ms. Fasman's capable leadership to make it happen.”

In addition to traveling exhibitions, the Kinsey website will continue to host online galleries to showcase the artwork. And stay tuned for announcements – a Kinsey Institute show may be coming to an exhibit space in your community.

To contact traveling exhibits consultant Rebecca Fasman, email her at rfasman@indiana.edu