Videos:
Concepts of the Cultural Collective
1. Weaving Narratives . Thomas P. Campbell 16:37
Questions to answer:
1i. What are the concerns of the historical museum? What is their purpose?
1ii. What problems incur in museums ?
1iii. What is said about electronic / digital media as compared to authentic objects?
1iv. What are the possible solutions that the Director suggests?
1v. Other pertinent information you wish to add.
2. How I learned to stop hating and love Museums . Nick Gray 17:29
3. How will Museums of the Future Look? Sarah Kenerdine : 13:24
Same Video via Museum Hack
(different URL)
Project #4
In collaborative teams of three, students will present their findings from Video 1, or 2, or 3 to the class.
Collaborative Groups of 3 as follows:
Concepts of the Cultural Collective
1. Weaving Narratives . Thomas P. Campbell 16:37
Published on Oct 5, 2012
As the director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Thomas P. Campbell thinks deeply about curating—not just selecting art objects but placing them in a setting where the public can learn their stories. With glorious images, he shows how his curation philosophy works for displaying medieval tapestries—and for the over-the-top fashion/art of Alexander McQueen. (From The Design Studio session at TED2012, guest-curated by Chee Pearlman and David Rockwell.)
Questions to answer:
1i. What are the concerns of the historical museum? What is their purpose?
1ii. What problems incur in museums ?
1iii. What is said about electronic / digital media as compared to authentic objects?
1iv. What are the possible solutions that the Director suggests?
1v. Other pertinent information you wish to add.
2. How I learned to stop hating and love Museums . Nick Gray 17:29
Published on May 4, 2015
Tired of the traditional way that museum tours are given, Nick Gray created his own company of renegade tour guides called Museum Hack. In his talk, Nick explains how these interactive, engaging tours will make you fall in love with museums as you experience them in a completely new way.
Nick Gray loves museums but hates how most museum tours are given. He founded Museum Hack, a company of private tour guides offering unconventional museum tours. Nick has lived in New York City for the past seven years, with his favorite place being the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He is interested in self-improvement and loves hosting dinner and cocktail parties for new friends.
Nick Gray loves museums but hates how most museum tours are given. He founded Museum Hack, a company of private tour guides offering unconventional museum tours. Nick has lived in New York City for the past seven years, with his favorite place being the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He is interested in self-improvement and loves hosting dinner and cocktail parties for new friends.
Questions:
2i. Why are museums often hated?
2ii. What would this image do to the education of the community regarding first-time visitors?
2ii. What would this image do to the education of the community regarding first-time visitors?
2iii.Name three ideas that changed the lecturer's mind?
Go to> MuseumHack link
2iv. What would you do?
2v. Other pertinent information you wish to add.
Go to> MuseumHack link
2iv. What would you do?
2v. Other pertinent information you wish to add.
3. How will Museums of the Future Look? Sarah Kenerdine : 13:24
Same Video via Museum Hack
(different URL)
Published on Apr 11, 2014
Prof. Dr. Sarah Kenderdine creates powerful interactive experiences for museums—pioneering new possibilities for visitors' engagement using emerging technologies. In widely exhibited installation works, she amalgamates cultural heritage with new media art practice through interactive cinema, augmented reality and embodied narrative. Sarah is Professor at the National Institute for Experimental Arts (NIEA), University of New South Wales and head of Special Projects, Museum Victoria, Australia. She is also the Director of Research at the Applied Laboratory for Interactive Visualization and Embodiment (ALiVE), City University of Hong Kong. In 2013 she received the International Council of Museum Award (Australia) and, the Australian Arts in Asia Innovation Award—for the PLACE-Hampi Museum, at the new cultural precinct at Kaladham, Karnataka. In addition, she was awarded the Tartessos Prize 2013 for contributions to virtual archaeology, worldwide and, 2013 Digital Heritage International Congress & IMéRA Foundation Fellowship.
Questions:
3i. What role does the museum serve?
3ii. Explain three new ways that museum directors might think about in their professional futures?
3iii. Making use of your own knowledge, what you would do?
3iv. Other pertinent information you wish to add.
3iv. Other pertinent information you wish to add.
Making use of the three videos above, write an individualized 1,000-word essay on the various issues raised by each chronologically; historical museums > why are museums often hated? > how will museums look in the future > what would you do?
In collaborative teams of three, students will present their findings from Video 1, or 2, or 3 to the class.
Collaborative Groups of 3 as follows:
Video #1: Kim, Jordan & Julia
Video #2: Alexis, Elisse & Caitlyn
Video #3: Erin & Claire
PROJECT #4 ASSESSMENT RUBRIC
FA351 Museum @ Medium Project #4 Name
Excellent source material woven into paper from all three videos – Paper serves as excellent evidence of careful thoughtfulness and comprehension
|
Contains thoughtful student response to the video material presented
|
Individual paper expresses excellence in Mechanics of Writing – organization makes sense to the topics, free of error, etc.
|
PPT collaboratively presentation graded individually
|
A = 5 points
B = 4
C = 3
D = 2
F = unable to grade
|
TOTAL =
|
Numerical Conversion looks like this:
|
COMMENTS:
-----------------------------------------------------------
Students Responses:
Project #4: TED Talks and More
There are as many approaches to museum work as there are museums themselves. Chronologically presented, in this series of three TED Talks, each speaker approaches one of the critical aspects of museums. In “Weaving Narratives…” Thomas Campbell focuses at the museum as a receptacle and presenter of the past; Nick Gray’s “How I Learned to Stop Hating and Love Museums” tackles the reputation of the modern day museum; and finally Dr. Sarah Kenderdine’s “How Will Museums of the Future Look?” predicts the fate of museums for years to come. A few common themes repeat tie these three otherwise distinctive videos together -- the ideas of museums transcending time and space, a need for imagination, and the validity of the observations of all museum-goers.
The natural beginning is with the historical museum. Campbell wove his narrative (so to speak) in such a way that he encompasses every aspect. To start, the concerns and purposes of the historical museum created the foundation for the rest of his discussion. According to Campbell, the major concern of the historical museum involves supporting the visions of curators -- presenting the ideas in at atmospheric, coherent and accessible way (“Weaving...” 2012). In his opening anecdote, Campbell’s eyes were opened to the issues behind classifying art rather than just looking: using technical art “jargon” instead of simple, descriptive language (“Weaving…” 2012). The purpose of the historical museum is to “unpack esoteric objects” for general understanding while still maintaining the essence of the culture the object came from (“Weaving…” 2012). In short, a historical museum is a place of education and appreciation.
The issues surrounding historical museums were laid out by Campbell. The most obvious is the issue of physical space and practicality. When discussing the McQueen show at the Metropolitan, Campbell noted that the walls had to be completely rearranged and queues were massively long to enter the exhibits (“Weaving…” 2012). Beyond that, as a receptacle of precious artifacts, the installation of these objects is also physically difficult. Moving beyond the obvious and to the more philosophical, another main issue faced by historical museums is the idea relatability which Campbell linked intrinsically to elitism and boredom. Elitism ties back into Campbell’s points about language and the power of it: it becomes harder to truly look at pieces when they are described strictly and with dense prose and no room for imagination. Historical museums, by virtue of their categorical responsibility to educate the public, often face this issue and it was something Campbell, and by extension, the Metropolitan wrestled with (“Weaving…” 2012).
The specter of electronic and digital media in education cannot be ignored in historical museums. However, Campbell was by no means worried that digital media would replace authentic objects. Insightfully, he instead described the digital image as a physically small “one hit,” juxtaposed against his example of tapestries which are “huge, vast, packed things” (“Weaving…” 2012). The unfamiliar authentic item -- in this case a tapestry -- can never be fully appreciated in any way but in person, and therefore Campbell did not feel threatened by technology (“Weaving…” 2012).
To balance each of these aspects of the historical museum and create lasting solutions, Campbell suggested that curators must break down elitist attitudes wherever they appear through their careful curation (“Weaving…” 2012). In order to truly educate, visitors must be in a contemplative state of mind, open to the things around them and to new ideas. Not defensive and
on edge from an excess of impenetrable text. Running through Campbell’s entire presentation was the importance of transcending space and time through learning.
Moving forward to the present day, Nick Gray tackles the perception of the modern museum. Opening with an analysis of his own life, Gray admitted that he used to hate museums -- and that his perceptions had not changed until recently (“How…” 2015). Using straightforward prose and a likable honesty, Gray straightforwardly stated that he despised museums for all the reasons hinted at in Campbell’s “Weaving Narratives…”: because museums were boring, old and huge. It was easy for him to become distracted and lose focus, and beyond that, his feet would begin to ache and he would grow tired of standing and craning his neck (“How…” 2015).
This idea of the museum as a dusty old institution has pervaded modern pop culture and has become ubiquitous. For first-time visitors, this creates an image of the museum as an intimidating place (“How…” 2015). As Gray himself observed, visitors can become uncomfortable and stiff in museums -- almost wary. It took a combination of three things to change Gray’s mind: social interaction and fun, atmosphere, and an organically cultivated appreciation of the artifacts (“How…” 2015). It began on a date to the Metropolitan at night, and Gray started to realize that museum visits could be social events and more importantly they could be entertaining. On that same night, Gray gained an appreciation for the subtleties of lighting and atmosphere. He described the museum as lowly lit and quiet as the snow came down on the roof of the Museum. The third factor was that Gray started to pay attention to single objects and appreciate their uniqueness -- like the yellow jasper head fragment that captivated him (“How…” 2015).
All of these factors were embraced when Gray started his Museum Hacks company. He embraced informality, unusual hours and the kind of passion rarely exhibited in museum spaces.
If I was to run a Museum Hack tour, I would follow a similar tactic to Gray. I would use my own personal biases in a constructive way and use the objects that I am passionate about to fuel my tours. I would seek out the strange and unusual and possibly overlooked pieces. The tours I would host would be at unusual times that accommodated working visitors’ schedules. As a former docent, Gray’s infectious enthusiasm affected me deeply. Gray’s further emphasis on the power of observation and the museum’s ability to transcend time were all similar themes to what Campbell covered as well (“How…” 2015).
Finally, Dr. Sarah Kenderdine approached the concept of the museum of the future. Under the lens of the future, according to Kenderdine the role of the museum becomes more of a preservatory force than in the other two TED talks that came before it. She paid particular attention to the idea that cultural landscapes and pieces of art were under threat -- from politically motivated destruction and from climate change (“How…” 2013). In this vein, museums and archival spaces must continue to grow and expand to accommodate not only new artifacts but also new ways to display information. Applying the content of Kenderdine’s lecture to the issue of modernizing, there are multiple new ways museum directors can approach their professional futures. To name but three, Kenderdine suggested the use of laser-scanned digital imagery, 3D interactive simulations of vulnerable areas, and social interaction for all ages (“How…” 2013).
Kenderdine advocates for the embrasure of technology and her explanation of laser imagery was fascinating. Complex or damaged images can be scanned to uncover new details about the piece and “create new narratives of engagement” (“How…” 2013). Similarly, Kenderdine presented 3D interactive simulations to allow public engagement with delicate or dangerous cultural landscapes (“How…” 2013). Panoramic screens envelop the senses with
movement and sound and capture the attention in a way static images can sometimes fall short of (as discussed by Campbell and Gray). Kenderdine used the example of the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, China, which illustrated her point perfectly: only twenty caves out of four hundred plus are open to the public and therefore any installation of the 3D panorama would allow unprecedented access (“How…” 2013). Using all of these forms of technologies encourages social interaction among all demographics according to Kenderdine and also encourages accessibility for all.
Using strands of inspiration from all three of these videos and my own personal knowledge, I was inspired. In my opinion, the museums of the future must embrace technology for all the reasons Kenderdine suggested -- namely, accessibility, the prospects and ease of socializing, and for the sake of maintaining delicate landscapes -- but as Campbell noted, we cannot lose sight of the authentic object. It is a tough balance to strike but it was one that has to be navigated for the continued survival of museums. I would have objects and digital image interactions on display side-by-side, and each month I would have rotating exhibits that focus exclusively on either a digital or authentic experience. To pull from Gray, I would make sure the exhibitions under my care would have flexible hours and a sense of light-heartedness. Museums, as unique receptacles of the intersections of past and present, should inspire the public and allow them to validate their own experiences. Museums have too great a responsibility as centers of education and appreciation to ever slip from relevance, and it is the job of the modern curator or director to look to the past to ensure the successful future.
Works Cited
Gray, Nick. "How I Learned to Stop Hating and Love Museums." TED, 2015, Foggy
Bottom.
Campbell, Thomas P. "Weaving Narratives in Museum Galleries." TED2012, 2012,
Long Beach.
Kenderdine, Sarah. "How Will Museums of the Future Look?" TEDxGateway, Dec. Mumbai, India
-------------------------------------------------------------
Museums have served the purpose of preserving, exhibiting, and educating people about historical works of art and artifacts for hundreds of years. It wasn’t until the twentieth century that most museums and galleries switched from a primarily private and wealthy visitor base to a more universal public one. Though museums are pushing for more universal and diverse agendas, the assumption that museums are primarily for studious, elite tourists has not changed. A factor in this continued elite opinion is the way we talk about and interpret art. Instead of merely allowing the audience to interpret objects as they see them, we often display art historian-based information alongside the piece. This has led to a less personal and entertaining atmosphere for museum attendants.
In the TED talk “Weaving Narratives,” led by the director of the Metropolitan Museum of art Thomas P. Campbell, he discusses the issues of how we present and talk about ancient art. For his example he talked about a hunting tapestry he and his son viewed within the collection which was on display back in 2014. While he himself was thinking about all the historical content and the materials used in the tapestry, his son was more focused on the comedic element of the hunting dog pooping in the woods. That element of enjoyment and amusement was what the craftsman of this piece really wanted people to take away from his art. To quote Thomas P. Cambell, “All historical works of art were once contemporary.” Meaning that art is created for the viewer, not the historian studying the period of the time. When it comes down to the wire, museums need to shift from a high focus of study and preservation to a more entertaining and experience based one.
The Metropolitain Museum of Art is one of the most known and visited museums in the United States of America. Many art and history lovers come every year to see some of the most famous works of arts in the world. Despite this fact if you are a local New Yorker who has no outside interest in the arts, you might view it as a giant tourist trap, just like Nick Grey now leader of Museum Hack. It wasn’t until David himself was led on a more personal tour of the museum by a girl he dated, that he took a more personal approach to the displayed artifacts. What turned into a weekend hobby of touring his friends around on weekends, turned into a highly successful approach to museum tour guiding. In his TED Talk, “How I Learned to Stop Hating and Love Museums,” Nick Grey discusses how his tours are unlike your average museum tour.
One factor which Nick Grey knows kills the mood of learning is gallery fatigue, which is when you are presented with so much information at once you become tired and overwhelmed. Museum Hack tour guides use the three G’s, (Guides, Games, and Gossip) to entertain visitors. The Guides who each have a personal love or interest in history share that passion with the visitors and ask each guest to participate and share their own interest or thoughts about certain works. Games such as “statue” and painting selfies, yoga in the contemporary gallery, and other exercise activities help relax the viewer to simply just enjoy the art around them without thinking about meaning or subject matter. If the visitors are entertained, then the chances of them learning something is higher when they can connect it to a positive experience. Lastly Gossip refers to the juicy and controversial details and stories relating to the art work they see in front of them. From how much the museum paid for a piece, to the story of why and how the artist created the piece breaks the stiff barrier of what is acceptable knowledge.
This organized platform of tourism and education has changed the way in which museum educators and curators are organizing and presenting information to the public. The message that storytelling is more important than art history when dealing with public education, has really expanded a more universal interest within the arts and history. With the slow increase of interest towards artwork from around the world, the increase of tourism has led to the decrease in authentic cultural experiences. In Sarah Kenderine’s TED talk, “How Will Museums of the Future Look?” she shows the true power of technological advances museums are making to create more interactive exhibitions. The most influential of these exhibits is the interactive digital dome, which showcases the Dunhuang caves of China which showcase the best examples of Chinese Buddhist art. Visitors through digital imagery can see the temple walls, the paintings’ original color, and 3D animation which brings the murals to life.
Due to climate change these caves have been roped off to the public, but these digital experiences give the public educational and interactive experiences. Alternate reality tourism gives the opportunity to the public to see the world's finest places and artworks, without endangering these places with over tourism. Though the digital age and advanced imagery and virtual reality is something we are used to, museums offer us the opportunity to see artifacts and art works in the real world. When you are truly looking at an object, you get to see the raw material in use, the true size and scale of a piece, and really observe it at your own pace. As Thomas. P Campbell explained in his presentation, “When we allow people to truly look at art, it is in their control to see what the image is.” When you think of it in terms of yourself versus your social media persona, you can understand why authentic items need to be truly viewed face to face and not on a digital platform.
Though museums worldwide are switching to a more interactive and personal approach when it comes to exhibitions and tours, we must be careful in our approach to this matter. If we model museums solely on the level of interactive capability and popularity of artifacts, then we will lose the opportunity to showcase items and artworks from nations and cultures unknown to many due to the lack of media attention. Museums while making the experience of visits more entertaining and personal, must also not lose sight of the importance of authenticity in collections and displays. While the new digital age helps take us to far off places, and reserve and store information at a much faster rate, it can also ulter the way we view subject matter. While change is needed to make museums a more diverse and entertaining experience for all, we must also remember that museums are responsible for protecting and exhibiting items.
In the Ted Talk video with Thomas P. Campbell, he starts out with a story about when he was a student himself and his teacher asked his class about a painting. As no one else raised their hand, Campbell decided to chime in. To his surprise, Thomas found out after the reply from his teacher who “swore much too much”, that he was basing his answers off the text book.
The main problem with historical museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where Campbell is a curator, is that so many times the audience is focusing on what “type” of painting or what “type” of sculpture a piece is, rather than knowing what a piece is about. Campbell discusses how the Metropolitan is presented in a way that almost intimidates people away from it because of its great architect.
Campbell goes on to discuss how in 1997 he really wanted to bring about historical pieces such as tapestries into the museum. It was a piece of art he so passionate about and he was given the go to start planning for an exhibition in 2002. He needed to start planning and figuring out where he would get them from, how he would have them delivered and how on earth he was going to carry them. Tapestries
are a grand piece because they can be rolled up like a carpet and moved from place to place and they never get ruined.
When Alexander McQueen had passed and his fashion pieces were up for a museum to possibly request, Campbell did not hesitate to take the chance. He needed to speak with the team that was handling McQueen’s pieces and wait for their permission before the exhibition could happen. He had to explain in full detail how the pieces would be displayed and collaborate with the team for the agreement. It was a great opportunity Campbell did not want to pass up and he executed it perfectly.
As we become a more technologic society, Campbell worried a little for the state of museums. You can go on the internet and look at images all you want, but he said “...nothing replaces the authenticity of the object presented with passionate scholarship.” Meaning that in a museum, being present in front of a piece, rather than just looking at it on a screen, holds more value to the on seer.
Some solutions that Thomas P. Campbell suggests are just being more informed about a piece’s background, rather than the textbook definition. Having a museum be more inviting rather than seemed secluded to a specific group of people, being either great scholars or historians. Art is for everyone’s entertainment and knowledge, art is a great piece of every human’s history and they all deserve to be a part of the museum experience.
Nick Gray, unlike Campbell, was quite opposite at first with his feelings for the Metropolitan. As a New Yorker himself, he looked at the museum as a “tourist attraction”. One night in December, he went on a date and as the girl took him to her favorite part of the museum, Gray wasn’t sure if it was the perfect lighting or the snow falling, but at that moment “he fell in love with the museum”.
After Gray heard the girl explain so passionately about her favorite exhibit in the museum, he started to do the same thing. After a while him and a group of his friends would spend countless hours there giving these fun tours now through a company called Museum Hacks. Gray and his friends make it very fun and interactive with their tour groups and give a light to people who join.
Gray explains that at first when you go to a museum, you are often found yawning at pieces and finding it rather boring, that is why he hated it as well. A tour can be repetitive and not very entertaining. That is why Nick and his friends took it upon themselves to make the team they did. Taking on young school groups and even adults, they have made it so entertaining and enjoyable. This image would help the education of first-time visitors by allowing them to see that it is not just a high-class place filled with rich people’s collections. A museum is a historical piece of every person’s background and is meant for the entertainment of everyone. Museum Hacks brings in guides, games and gossip, Gray likes to start out with the games. These three things are a way to pump the group up and get them actively involved. Gray and his friends show people 15-20 pieces, so they move fast, mostly they show their favorite pieces. This leaves groups asking questions and wondering if there are more items equivalent to the ones being shown.
When Gray goes into discussing Fragment of a Queen’s Face to the audience I am mind blown. He says how passion is key when giving these tours and how the tour groups need to be entertained before they are educated. The way he gives detail about his favorite piece is just beautiful. Gray explains that yellow jasper is a rare semi-precious stone and here are these beautiful lips of a queen with no name. Her identity is a complete mystery and that is what Gray loves about it so much, it keeps him wondering what did the rest of her face look like?
What I would do is try and taking part in one of these tours. Museum Hack seems like such an eye opener for first-timers at the Metropolitan, although I have been there. I would take the time to do some deep research into a few pieces before going and prepare to ask some thought out questions. I would bring my own children and let them ask as many questions as they want and not give them a complicated answer. Your group wants to be entertained, after all, that is one of the main purposes of a museum.
The final Ted Talk presented by Professor Dr. Sarah Kenderine and she describes the great danger some of our most precious places of culture are in. Dr. Kenderine shows the technological advances she works with and how the importance of preservation plays a great role in history and culture.
Looking into the future of museums, Dr. Kenderine explains how by using such advances, it allows for groups to view the caves of the Gobi Desert in Asia that were under threat by massive tourism. A team of professionals take about 3 months in just one cave, taking detailed photos and then recreating an exhibit for tourists to virtually see. Dr. Kenderine shows how they put in interactive pieces into their exhibits and bring history to life.
She makes it a point to implement the word sensory, we should not only be using our eyes when experiencing a museum, but we should hear history and touch the walls of a cave. This virtual reality Dr. Kenderine shows during her talk is something extraordinary. My favorite part was the Pacifying the South China Sea Pirates (2013), and how they were able to bring it to life and the viewer has the capability of seeing the scroll come to life.
All of these futuristic ideas that Dr. Kenderine brings to the audience are all part of preservation. With natural disasters and high tourism destroying some of these beautiful pieces of history, there won’t be anything left. Allowing those in a museum to view archived pieces of a collection virtually will help professionals be able to work and learn from them more.
All three presenters in the Ted Talks are all equally passionate about their jobs at the museums. Each person plays an important role to the historical pieces they present to their audiences. Art is far more than just knowing what type of painting you are hanging or what medium that sculpture is made from. It is about knowing how they came to be and what purpose they serve to future generations.
Citations:
Campbell, Thomas. P (October 5, 2012), “Weaving Narratives”, retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuYzOn0U2PY
Gray, Nick (May 4, 2015), “How I Learned to Stop Hating and Love Museums”, retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VWPHKABRQA&t=828s
Kenderine, Professor Dr. Sarah (April 11, 2014), “How Will Museums of the Future Look?”, retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXhtwFCA_Kc&t=584s
-----------------------------------------------------------
In the Ted Talk video with Thomas P. Campbell, he starts out with a story about when he was a student himself and his teacher asked his class about a painting. As no one else raised their hand, Campbell decided to chime in. To his surprise, Thomas found out after the reply from his teacher who “swore much too much”, that he was basing his answers off the text book.
The main problem with historical museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where Campbell is a curator, is that so many times the audience is focusing on what “type” of painting or what “type” of sculpture a piece is, rather than knowing what a piece is about. Campbell discusses how the Metropolitan is presented in a way that almost intimidates people away from it because of its great architect.
Campbell goes on to discuss how in 1997 he really wanted to bring about historical pieces such as tapestries into the museum. It was a piece of art he so passionate about and he was given the go to start planning for an exhibition in 2002. He needed to start planning and figuring out where he would get them from, how he would have them delivered and how on earth he was going to carry them. Tapestries are a grand piece because they can be rolled up like a carpet and moved from place to place and they never get ruined.
When Alexander McQueen had passed and his fashion pieces were up for a museum to possibly request, Campbell did not hesitate to take the chance. He needed to speak with the team that was handling McQueen’s pieces and wait for their permission before the exhibition could happen. He had to explain in full detail how the pieces would be displayed and collaborate with the team for the agreement. It was a great opportunity Campbell did not want to pass up and he executed it perfectly.
As we become a more technologic society, Campbell worried a little for the state of museums. You can go on the internet and look at images all you want, but he said “...nothing replaces the authenticity of the object presented with passionate scholarship.” Meaning that in a museum, being present in front of a piece, rather than just looking at it on a screen, holds more value to the on seer.
Some solutions that Thomas P. Campbell suggests are just being more informed about a piece’s background, rather than the textbook definition. Having a museum be more inviting rather than seemed secluded to a specific group of people, being either great scholars or historians. Art is for everyone’s entertainment and knowledge, art is a great piece of every human’s history and they all deserve to be a part of the museum experience.
Nick Gray, unlike Campbell, was quite opposite at first with his feelings for the Metropolitan. As a New Yorker himself, he looked at the museum as a “tourist attraction”. One night in December, he went on a date and as the girl took him to her
favorite part of the museum, Gray wasn’t sure if it was the perfect lighting or the snow falling, but at that moment “he fell in love with the museum”.
After Gray heard the girl explain so passionately about her favorite exhibit in the museum, he started to do the same thing. After a while him and a group of his friends would spend countless hours there giving these fun tours now through a company called Museum Hacks. Gray and his friends make it very fun and interactive with their tour groups and give a light to people who join.
Gray explains that at first when you go to a museum, you are often found yawning at pieces and finding it rather boring, that is why he hated it as well. A tour can be repetitive and not very entertaining. That is why Nick and his friends took it upon themselves to make the team they did. Taking on young school groups and even adults, they have made it so entertaining and enjoyable.
This image would help the education of first-time visitors by allowing them to see that it is not just a high-class place filled with rich people’s collections. A museum is a historical piece of every person’s background and is meant for the entertainment of everyone. Museum Hacks brings in guides, games and gossip, Gray likes to start out with the games. These three things are a way to pump the group up and get them actively involved. Gray and his friends show people 15-20 pieces, so they move fast, mostly they show their favorite pieces. This leaves groups asking questions and wondering if there are more items equivalent to the ones being shown.
When Gray goes into discussing Fragment of a Queen’s Face to the audience I am mind blown. He says how passion is key when giving these tours and how the tour groups need to be entertained before they are educated. The way he gives detail about his favorite piece is just beautiful. Gray explains that yellow jasper is a rare semi-precious stone and here are these beautiful lips of a queen with no name. Her identity is a complete mystery and that is what Gray loves about it so much, it keeps him wondering what did the rest of her face look like?
What I would do is try and taking part in one of these tours. Museum Hack seems like such an eye opener for first-timers at the Metropolitan, although I have been there. I would take the time to do some deep research into a few pieces before going and prepare to ask some thought out questions. I would bring my own children and let them ask as many questions as they want and not give them a complicated answer. Your group wants to be entertained, after all, that is one of the main purposes of a museum.
The final Ted Talk presented by Professor Dr. Sarah Kenderine and she describes the great danger some of our most precious places of culture are in. Dr. Kenderine shows the technological advances she works with and how the importance of preservation plays a great role in history and culture.
Looking into the future of museums, Dr. Kenderine explains how by using such advances, it allows for groups to view the caves of the Gobi Desert in Asia that were under threat by massive tourism. A team of professionals take about 3 months in just one cave, taking detailed photos and then recreating an exhibit for tourists to virtually see. Dr. Kenderine shows how they put in interactive pieces into their exhibits and bring history to life. She makes it a point to implement the word sensory, we should not only be using our eyes when experiencing a museum, but we should hear history and touch the walls of a cave. This virtual reality Dr. Kenderine shows during her talk is something extraordinary. My favorite part was the Pacifying the South China Sea Pirates (2013), and how they were able to bring it to life and the viewer has the capability of seeing the scroll come to life.
All of these futuristic ideas that Dr. Kenderine brings to the audience are all part of preservation. With natural disasters and high tourism destroying some of these beautiful pieces of history, there won’t be anything left. Allowing those in a museum to view archived pieces of a collection virtually will help professionals be able to work and learn from them more.
All three presenters in the Ted Talks are all equally passionate about their jobs at the museums. Each person plays an important role to the historical pieces they present to their audiences. Art is far more than just knowing what type of painting you are hanging or what medium that sculpture is made from. It is about knowing how they came to be and what purpose they serve to future generations.
Citations:
Campbell, Thomas. P (October 5, 2012), “Weaving Narratives”, retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuYzOn0U2PY
Gray, Nick (May 4, 2015), “How I Learned to Stop Hating and Love Museums”, retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VWPHKABRQA&t=828s
Kenderine, Professor Dr. Sarah (April 11, 2014), “How Will Museums of the Future Look?”, retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXhtwFCA_Kc&t=584s
-----------------------------------------------------------
Video #1:
Weaving Narratives . Thomas P. Campbell 16:37
Weaving Narratives . Thomas P. Campbell 16:37
Published on Oct 5, 2012
As the director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Thomas P. Campbell thinks deeply about curating—not just selecting art objects but placing them in a setting where the public can learn their stories. With glorious images, he shows how his curation philosophy works for displaying medieval tapestries—and for the over-the-top fashion/art of Alexander McQueen. (From The Design Studio session at TED2012, guest-curated by Chee Pearlman and David Rockwell.)
Video #2: How I learned to stop hating and love Museums . Nick Gray 17:29
Published on May 4, 2015
Tired of the traditional way that museum tours are given, Nick Gray created his own company of renegade tour guides called Museum Hack. In his talk, Nick explains how these interactive, engaging tours will make you fall in love with museums as you experience them in a completely new way.
(different URL)
Published on Apr 11, 2014
Prof. Dr. Sarah Kenderdine creates powerful interactive experiences for museums—pioneering new possibilities for visitors' engagement using emerging technologies. In widely exhibited installation works, she amalgamates cultural heritage with new media art practice through interactive cinema, augmented reality and embodied narrative. Sarah is Professor at the National Institute for Experimental Arts (NIEA), University of New South Wales and head of Special Projects, Museum Victoria, Australia. She is also the Director of Research at the Applied Laboratory for Interactive Visualization and Embodiment (ALiVE), City University of Hong Kong. In 2013 she received the International Council of Museum Award (Australia) and, the Australian Arts in Asia Innovation Award—for the PLACE-Hampi Museum, at the new cultural precinct at Kaladham, Karnataka. In addition, she was awarded the Tartessos Prize 2013 for contributions to virtual archaeology, worldwide and, 2013 Digital Heritage International Congress & IMéRA Foundation Fellowship.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Museums: Ready for Change?
The world continuously changes every day. Whether the change is social, cultural, or technological, it affects everyone around the world. With these changes occurring in the world, museums are being pushed to change. Museums have been struggling with how to bring in a larger audience and on how to get their current audience to keep coming back. By watching and analyzing TED Talks done by Thomas P. Campbell, Nick Gray, and Dr. Sarah Kenderdine, the solution ends up being very obvious. The solution to this is to have museums follow the change and not fear it. Creating a change in a museum that is parallel to the ones happening in the world is the key to a successful museum.
Historical Museums exist to educate people on their collection of obviously historical collections. Many museums focus on educating through formal art history, which causes classification of pieces; Also, since the internet is a part of today's culture, people can just look at images of art pieces online easily. Thomas P. Campbell, a director at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, gave a TED Talk on visual engagement. Museum visitors need to be encouraged to look and observe, not to just classify a painting by its name. Campbell found that having an exhibition curated to create a narrative for the pieces, is what causes visitors to take time a look. Turning an exhibition into the artists' stories can become very interesting to the viewer and draw them in. Creating this visitor interest can also encourage people to not replace the authenticity of a piece with a picture, and to come to admire it face-to-face (Campbell). Campbell believes that museum directors need to support the vision of their curators to execute this idea.
There are often many people that become bored or uncomfortable when visiting a museum, and rather not be there. Often museums are disliked because they can be boring, people can't relate to the art by just looking at it, and can make some people feel belittled. Socially, people are changing and don't want to put effort into something they can't relate to. Nick Gray, the founder of Museum Hack, hosted a TED Talk and discussed his company and why he created it. Museum Hack is a company that offers a reinvented museum experience, a "museum adventure". The tours are turned into an adventure to really engage the audience. The tours that are done are important and popular due to the following: Guides, Games, and Gossip (Gray).
Museum Hack's guides are super important to experiencing a good tour because they are the ones delivering the information. Their guides are easy-going, relatable, and passionate. Passion is very important because as a visitor, a tour guide that knows and loves what they are doing can make a tremendous difference; Also, these passionate guides take their tours to see more objects than most other museum tours do (Museum Hack).
The next step to Museum Hack's success are the tour games. In the TED Talk, Gray states that every single tour starts with a cheer "Museum adventures, not museum tours!"(Gray). They also create challenges for visitors and offer prizes. There are many people that want to have a good time and don't often think of museums offering that. However, the games done in the tours allows a good time at a museum. This helps bring in a completely new audience to museums.
Lastly, Museum Hack includes gossip on their tours. Now, this isn't "typical" gossip about people you know or see, but is about the art pieces and/or the creators. The tour guides reveal "juicy" back-stories about the art, making it relatable to the visitors (Gray). Tour guides that are employed at a specific museum are not usually allowed to talk about the history of a piece if it is controversial. Many believe that the history is more important than story, and do not want to risk saying something controversial and upsetting a visitor. Museum Hack is open with how they function and run the tours, so people know what they are signing up for. These people are signing up for the controversial gossip. The stories behind the art are important because they can be relatable and create a conversation with the viewer. Communication between art and a viewer creates emotions and an appreciation for the art and the artists. Museum Hack boosts attendance in museums and curiosity in the community.
Museums exist to give people access to art, artifacts, and information. People often go to a museum since what they want to see is not feasible for them to see in its original context. Museums help preserve important items that may have not survived if the artifact remained in its original context. Dr. Sarah Kenderdine, did a TED Talk on advancing technology and its use in museums. She wants the future of interpretation to not be restrained. Museum directors should begin taking advantage of technology to develop a sensory experience. Dr. Kenderdine introduced several new technological exhibitions. These exhibitions create curiosity, allows access to museums entire collection, and lets people experience history in a realistic way. There are many historical sites that people want to view, yet can't because of the site needing to be preserved. However, with new technology, these sites will be available to view at museums. Cameras are capturing every part of the Dunhuang Caves, to transport the experience into a museum. Parts of the caves are closed to the public, due to preservation. Having a camera to capture every part of the cave allows for the images to then be printed on the walls of a museum. The walls become interactive by looking dark and not very detailed to the naked eye. However, through an Ipad, the cave is displayed where ever the camera is pointed (Kenderdine). These exhibits can have sounds also to create a sensory experience. Also, introducing technologies to museums to display their entire collection digitally. This allows people to see more than they expected and make connections between work. With technology advancing, museum directors need to begin allowing technology into their exhibits.
Works Cited
Campbell, Thomas P. Thomas P. Campbell: Weaving Narratives in Museum Galleries. YouTube, YouTube, 5 Oct. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuYzOn0U2PY.
Gray, Nick. How I Learned to Stop Hating and Love Museums | Nick Gray | TEDxFoggyBottom. YouTube, YouTube, 4 May 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VWPHKABRQA.
Kenderdine, Sarah. How Will Museums of the Future Look? | Sarah Kenderdine | TEDxGateway 2013. YouTube, YouTube, 11 Apr. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXhtwFCA_Kc&feature=youtu.be.