In 2007, Charles Esche and I published the book Mögliche Museen1 (Possible Museums), which is dedicated to the development of museums for Modern and contemporary art. Together with different authors, we explored the potential of public museums for renewal and education as well as for (critical) reflection on social change by using ten examples from the past fifty years. In this connection, we took a particular interest in those historical moments in which changes that were previously unthinkable suddenly seemed possible. Hence potential museums are also conceivable museums, ones that we can imagine as an alternative to existing concepts. We were interested in the ambivalence of these institutions that oscillate between ideals and social reality, requests for change and a great amount of inertia. In the light of this, museums can also always be perceived as “compromises,” as Allen Kaprow put it, “between what is and what should be.”2 Seen from today’s perspective I would like to modify Kaprow’s categorical imperative in favor of “what could be,” nevertheless, I consider his conclusions still as valid: it is precisely this rift that highlights a utopian moment in the sense that alternatives to a status quo, in whatever form, become imaginable. This flash of a utopian moment is perhaps the most important element of consistency in the history of museums.
However, in my opinion, our book has not placed much emphasis on the developments that have shaken the museum-scape fundamentally since the 1980s and essentially have to do with processes of economization.3 The examples chosen by us have in common—despite their differences—that they were each fuelled to a great extent by contemporary art, as well as by strong idealistic alliances be...
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..., was time and again able to modify and stabilize itself.4
Of course that does not imply that criticism is no longer possible but simply that the forms of criticism must change—something that Irit Rogoff has put in a nutshell with the term “criticality.”5 At the end of the day it means for everyone involved, to develop a critical stance towards precisely the established structures on which they depend as well as to work within economic structures whilst questioning them, respectively to sound out the dangers of exploitation and forms of possible resistance in equal measure. This requires marking inconsistencies and hence exposing them. Emerging from these discrepancies, friction-ridden discourses might stimulate thoughts about what is and what could be, and this would allow being on the lookout for emancipatory possibilities within a completely economized space.
It is from the Neo-Assyran period during 883-859b.c.e. The highest relief would be its head. The writing was all around the statue in a different writing. It is very big and tall. It is on a good portion of the corner of a hallway. It looks kind of cool with a bull’s body with wings and a human’s head on it. The face is kind of funny because of the beard I guess if long and real even. The human-headed wing bull had five legs.
The Columbus Museum of Art is a place rich in local history. A place where items of historical and artistic value are stored for safekeeping and allow access for public viewing. The museum has several locally named galleries. It also has a cute children’s area, complete with artwork from little local artists from several schools in the area. The children’s area has several pieces of art that children may touch, like Chicken George. I remember touching that chicken when I would visit as a child. The area also has a mini art studio to cater to the little creative minds that pass through.
The exhibit that I viewed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art was one about European Art between the years 1100-1500. This was a series of paintings, sculptures, architecture, and tapestry of the Medieval and Early Renaissance as well as objects from the Middle East. This exhibit was an important part of the history of the Philadelphia Museum of Art because for the first time, Italian, Spanish, and Northern European paintings from the John G. Johnson collection were shown. It gave me a good idea of what the paintings were like in these four centuries and reflected ideas of both the east and the west.
Duncan’s (1991) analysis of western museums is defined through the theme of “durable objects” as a criterion to judge the heritage of American and European art as a ritual of the modern state. In this manner western art museums are built like “temples” as a symbolic and figurative representation of greatness of western culture throughout the world: “[They] are more like the traditional ceremonial monuments that museum buildings often emulate—classical temples” (Duncan 90). This interpretation of American/European museums defines a dominant source of cultural heritage that ritualizes
The Metropolitan Museum of Art came about as an idea from Jon Jay in Paris, France in 1866 with the idea of “national institution gallery of art” within the United States. Once this idea was proposed, it was immediately moved forward with his return to the United States. With the help of the Union League Club in NY they began to acquire civic leaders, businessmen, artists, and collectors who aided in the creation of the museum. For over 140 years, the visitors who go here have received everything the mission of the institution states.
In Stephen Weil’s essay, he argues “the museum’s role has transformed from one of mastery to one of service” (Weil, 196). According to him, museums have changed their mission from one that cultures the public to one that serves
The “superstar” museum gained this status by considering every important detail during its establishment and initial phases of conversion from royal palace to museum (Gombault, 2002). As the purpose of the building changed, each room addressed new functions with new requirements. Although the function of the Louvre is different from the building’s original intention, the building is still appears dignified and important enough to display priceless artifacts and painting (Steffensen-Bruce, 1998). This consideration was applied in designing the Met. The Met looked towards the South Kensington Museum (Victoria and Albert) and the “ideal role model” due to its extensive collections and international reputation (Heckscher, 1995). The Met found itself in a similar situation to the South Kensington, because it did not have a building or a collection to start with (Heckscher, 1995). When designing museums, architects strived to create monuments that “prepare and educate the mind of the visitor (Steffensen-Bruce, 1998).” Education is an essential function of a museum. Acquiring, preserving, and properly displaying materials, permits a museum to fulfill this duty (Steffensen-Bruce, 1998). For instance, lighting is a factor that affects the manner in which artwork is viewed and can be properly appreciated. When determining the proper lighting for the Louvre, Comte d’Angiviller, strongly believed that natural, overhead lighting was the most effective solution (McClellan, 1994, p. 72). The same determination impacted the decision to add skylights at the Met. During the initial phase, architects Vaux and Mould, added skylights to the upper floor, and windows to the lower floor that provided a natural light solution (Heckscher, 1995). Additionally, glass-roofed courtyards provided “unimpeded light” for displaying
When someone enters an art gallery, they believe they are going to view art, but under the guise of Institutional Critique, this notion often false. Instead of being the traditional art of painting, sculptures, and installations, viewers encounter, in the work of Hans Haacke, Daniel Buren, and Michael Asher in the 1970s, not much to look at, but a lot to think about. In essence, Institutional Critique is a protest against museums/galleries demanding them to view art and art exhibition in new ways, exemplified by Conceptual art where words, video, readymades, and even ideas are art. Institutional Critique manifested from the protests of the 1960s, one of which philosopher Michel Foucault participated in Paris, 1968. Clearly, Institutional Critique gathered its raison d’être from these protests and imported them into the gallery space, but these protests continue today in the Occupy movements, highlighting Institutional Critique’s lasting impression and influence. Some key elements of Institutional Critique are site-specificity, its lack of commodification, WHAT ELSE. To understand Institutional Critique better, it is necessary to analyze the early works in this methodology through the works of Hans Haacke, Daniel Buren, and Michael Asher, but all other these works use the methodology to analyze different aspects of the art institution, but these uses of Institutional Critique cohesively display the main aspect of the methodology: protest. After all, Conceptual art is an avant-garde movement that in essence is a protest against mainstream art forms. Adding Michel Foucault’s “A Lecture from Power/Knowledge” to the discourse will further highlight the aspects of Institutional Critique, but also display its current relevancy to the Occ...
I first visited the Guggenheim Museum two weeks ago with Claus, my friend from Germany. We had the MOMA in mind but I guess talking, talking we must have passed it by. Half an hour from the MOMA we found ourselves in front of the Guggenheim, the astonishing white building that was Frank Lloyd Wright's last project. Why not? We said to ourselves. And so we walked right in.
One pleasant afternoon, my classmates and I decided to visit the Houston Museum of Fine Arts to begin on our museum assignment in world literature class. According to Houston Museum of Fine Art’s staff, MFAH considers as one of the largest museums in the nation and it contains many variety forms of art with more than several thousand years of unique history. Also, I have never been in a museum in a very long time especially as big as MFAH, and my experience about the museum was unique and pleasant. Although I have observed many great types and forms of art in the museum, there were few that interested me the most.
All across the world there are hundreds of museums filled with history, information, exhibits, and famous documents. A variety of museums display artifacts of a mix of several cultures, historical events, famous people, and art work in the entire museum. Rather than having several different attractions, some museums are dedicated to showcasing exhibits based on a specific topic of history or interest. Therefore, museums with the purpose of educating people of a certain topic should only display artifacts, pictures, documents, and other such attractions germane to the museum’s theme of interest. In order for a museum to achieve it’s purpose and maintain it’s protocol, the museum must take into consideration the many pros and cons of a new display throughout the decision process.
Society is highly stratified when considering social classes i.e. - upper class, middle class, lower class, and working class citizens. That being said, not everyone has the same access to the superstructure; thus creating tension. The largest problem when considering structure and agency is the constant struggle and negotiation of power inequality. Among the asymmetry of power are two major disparities; class and gender. Thinking as a critical theorist, one must consider the individual’s participation in the public sphere; “The word means a false view of the world that is in the interests of the powerful citizens in order to keep the subordinate classes oppressed” (Habermas, 10). Though the public sphere is virtually a democratic sphere where ideas can circulate and opinions are formed there are certain restrictions when referring to lower classes and women and thus how their agencies as individuals are limited.
I was lucky enough to visit the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam in November of last year. The museum was located in somewhat of a museum park. The Rijks museum and the Stedelijk Museum are located on the same block. A beautiful landscape of ponds and trees are centered around them. The Van Gogh Museum has an audio tour available in all languages via a handheld tour guide. Unfortunately, funds limited me to get the audio tour, but I was able to nonchalantly follow a British couple around most of the five floors. The museum chronologically directes you through a collection of Van Gogh's and his contemporery's works.
For instance, in the 19th century, Arnoldian thinkers put forward a philosophy of intellectual and cultural excellence, which involved a rigorous study of what they regarded to be best products of human thought and creativity. It could take on a democratic form, in the sense that it held that anyone could theoretically attain intellectual excellence, if they committed themselves to intensive study. Though Arnoldian thinking was also complicated by its tendency to presume the superiority of works produced by elite European men. Another instance can be seen with the group of progressive museum figures who reformed The New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. They attempted to promote museum attendance among a broader segment of the population and made attempts to expand their contents into craft arts in an effort to engage more working-class residents of the city. Though it is uncertain how many people they succeeded in drawing into museum art engagement and the change in content didn’t necessarily entail an expansion of those who were granted formal recognition among official intellectual discourses over the operation of museums. Each, in their own ways, acted to advance intellectual democratization in some manner, and were involved in the broader contestations over the intellectual condition of
‘Savage Beauty’ was an exhibition that pushed the boundaries of museology, in its artistic, social and critical undertakings. The questions brought to bear by the exhibition of contemporary art and culture in various situations is something I am interested in researching further with a degree in curating.