Archive for the ‘Dialogue’ Category
I’m not sure I entirely agree with this article, but I think it clarified something for me today. In thinking about art from a neurological perspective, I like the comparison this NYTimes opinion piece makes: that looking at, and understanding, a work of art in your brain (and as the author argues, your whole self) is like having a conversation.
“We might say that works of art pose questions and encountering a work of art meaningfully requires understanding the relevant questions and getting why they matter, or maybe even, why they don’t matter, or don’t matter any more, or why they would matter in one context but not another.”
This is exactly the work that museums try to facilitate, especially for a public who often have not had the opportunity to hone those conversational skills. Museum educators, curators, interpreters, docents, strive to build a space or an exhibit with background knowledge and focused attention to help visitors understand and communicate with art. By not teaching art in schools and not encouraging each other and ourselves to look closer/deeper, we are ill-prepared to speak with art, just like an individual without friends. And that lack of understanding (ability to understand context, patience to take turns and listen) can become a feed-back loop of feeling inadequate and overwhelmed for visitors. These are the obstacles museum professionals are trying to overcome, to develop those moments of conversation in the galleries, and encourage visitors to take that conversation home with them.
Over the last 5 years museums have made it a priority to use social media to encourage communication and connection between museums and the public through twitter, facebook, etc. However, most institutions share only basic information like gallery hours, special events and new exhibitions. But there has also been a quiet increase in exhibitions fueled by social media participation; with content created or provided by the public. I won’t talk too much about Wafaa Bilal and his piece Domestic Tension, or Shawn Brixey’s Chimera Obscura, but there are many examples of artists using visitors to create art. And many museums accept and encourage visitors to submit family photos or stories. It’s more rare for museums to inquire research data from the public.
Currently, there are some data-based projects that visitors can participate in. Visitors can be a part of the content/research at the National Building Museum (I had never heard of this place before, maybe that makes me a bad museologist…maybe not). The NBM is looking for information from the public about their living spaces- homes in particular- to analyze data through time about our culture of living. This study has the potential to gather a substantial amount of data, although getting participants will probably be a challenging endeavor.
Personally, this kind of information is fascinating to me. And somewhat related to data presentation/infographics/learning is a recent article in the NYTimes that a colleague sent to me. Some folks are proposing that we are in a new era of thinking where we use data to think about the humanities.
Networks! Maps! More metadata!
I believe arts and humanities developments/theories could only become more solid when paired with statistical evidence. But maybe that’s the evaluator in me talking.
Have you heard about the Museum of Science and Industry’s Month at the Museum project? They took thousands of applications for one participant to live at the museum for an entire month and document what he or she would do, see, hear, think, etc. And Kate brought home the bacon… or maybe she’s bringing the bacon to the museum.
I’m often surprised by how many people say things like, “It’s always been a dream of mine to sleepover/explore at night/party at the museum.” (And this could really be said about any museum you’ve ever been to) But when the DIA was open for 36 hours straight you bet I was there at 2 am looking at art and dancing to hip hop beats. There is an allure for people about going “behind the scenes” at the museum and seeing all the cool/amazing/secret/old stuff that very few people are allowed to see. I think this project is an opportunity for visitors to live vicariously through one “normal” person who will have this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
I’m excited to see how this will turn out. It’s not often that a museum will take such a big risk, which probably requires a decent amount of funding, on an individual not associated with (i.e. on the payroll at) the institution. Kate will be an ambassador for the museum to the world, but she also has to be funny, thoughtful and exciting, maybe even daring. (Check out Slover Linett’s recent post about taking risks)
And not only will Kate be representing the MSI to the public, she will be a representative for women in science, and more generally everyone in science. Educators/institutions/government groups have been pushing to increase the number of women in the STEM fields for decades. Kate is a young woman who enjoys science and will take part in helping bring an interest in science and technology to others. She could be a positive face for helping girls get excited about learning and doing science.
But, Kate does not have a science background (she has worked mostly in theater) which makes her a good candidate to reach out to the millions of individuals who think they don’t work with science. In fact, we all encounter science everyday, and science museums want to help visitors realize this in a fun and exciting way.
She moves in on October 20th! It’s still unclear as to what she will be doing exactly (interacting with curators, educators and visitors? exploring the collections? making video blog posts?) but here’s to hoping she will be sleeping behind a plexi case like a Duane Hanson piece on display.
I recently found this very hip/indie/adorbs tumblr devoted completely to pretty images in pop culture related to museums. This does give me hope that the general public might still find museums nostalgic, if not sacred/rarified/soulful, places that can be beautiful and memorable.
Not to mention delicious taxidermy-style art
And the popularization of the verb curate in everyday vocabulary.
This video, however, dashes most of those hopes.
I find it exciting and encouraging that these discussions are happening, but it means that, at the very least, we aren’t forgetting about these repositories of history. There is still debate about what museums are, what they should be collecting, and how they should be reaching out to the public, which means they are still alive.
