I organised all loans, securing items internationally from fans, collectors and band members. I sourced audio visual resources for the exhibition and worked closely with colleagues at Capsule and Birmingham Museums Trust on the adherence of policy and procedures, particularly in relation to international shipping, insurance compliance and conservation. I managed all local and international transport and worked closely with lenders to catalogue and prepare loans for display, as well as clearly communicating display requirements to exhibition fabricators and technical teams.

I worked with freelance and Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery technical teams, as well as contractors and volunteers on exhibition installation and deinstallation, devising schedules to ensure that loans, materials and technical expertise were on site when required.

I compiled accurate loans information for exhibition interpretation and labels and created a vast inventory of loans and resources for future potential display.

I wanted to work with Home of Metal because the project offered the opportunity to work on something hugely ambitious which might not be considered as a traditionally ‘heritage’ exhibition but is absolutely integral to the story of Birmingham, the international legacy Black Sabbath and their part in creating of a new global music genre. I was keen to use my experience of working in exhibition making in a contemporary art context in a heritage project which challenged traditional values of interpretation and display. I wasn’t a Sabbath fan when I started. I am now.

Images: David Rowan.