Notes

Grocery List:

1. How closely am I allowed intergrate the commentary into the artifacts?

A: I had this same questions.  I personally thing that it should refer to the artifacts when necessary, and that it should be "commenting" on them while also telling the narrative.  I'm not sure if this means that the commentary should include descriptions of them, or just jump straight in to how they apply to the commentary.

2. How consistent must the design be?

A: Jarod, knowing you, the design will be great.  I would say to keep it as consistent as possible within the constraints of the platform.  Use the design options available to you to establish your different points, subjects, and depth!

3. How should I use the subsections of each page? Will they be intuititve to navigate?

A: I wondered this as well.  I feel like there are many page options that could work for whatever part of the commentary you are working on.  Depending on whether you are at a point of reflection and explanation of direct reference to the artifacts will control how much text and image insertions you would want on the page.

4. Should there be a meta-narrative that goes across the project, or so it be localized to each section? Or both?

A: Or would say that you want the commentary and narrative to be as fluid as possible.  At the very least, relate what you can back to the central themes that you found running throughout your collections.

5. How should a commentary end? is it a summary of what is mentioned, or does it leave the reader with something new to think about, etc.

A: I've always been told that a good conclusion should point to what is next along with the summary.  Whether you do this by questioning the future of your topic or leaving the viewer something to think about is up to you! Make the influence of your exhibit extend past its viewing.

You seem to build you exigency well in your introduction; you grab you reader's attention by questioning what is useless.  I would say, in your conclusion, that you reiterate why your 'useless' archive is anything but useless.  I would restate its value.  What you can get from it and not anwhere else.