Museum as Muse and/or Medium
PROMPT
Museums utilize systems of ordering, classifying, displaying, archiving and storing objects, and through their broader institutional context, those objects are imbued with an aura of importance and authenticity. In some exhibits objects are removed from their original environment through the use of furniture, pedestals, vitrines, cabinets, and focused lighting—and a special notability and prominence are given to them, others create dioramas or vignettes to show the object in its original habitat or place. Museums maintain a voice of authority—we assume the exhibit text accompanying a display or object is stating facts, truth. Examine the systems and mechanisms that museums employ, and find some inspiration there to develop a personal project, whether it’s purely poetic, satirical or abstracted somehow.
PROJECT GUIDELINES
Work through a number of ideas and create some sketches of how you might approach them to share in class. You may need to create a sort of working prototype for this project. This will allow you to experiment with how you will construct your housing, display or performance, and consider different options. The size, material and method of creating or manipulating your piece is your choice. Perhaps this is an installation, a book, a video or photos showing documentation of a performance, artifacts that must be housed in some kind of container, a bass-relief wall piece, or a free-standing sculpture in-the-round. Be inventive! And remember to pace your work so you have ample time to amass your collection, experiment with possible ways of displaying and time to make the final work. Also, keep in mind that all of your assignments in this class can be approached loosely so that you can maintain a continuity with your larger body of work and/or research. Find inspiration from this prompt, and run with it!
IN-PROGRESS CHECK-INS
2/27, 3/05, 3/19
CRITIQUE
3/26
GRADING
40 points
10 Conceptual development, 10 Composition & design, 10 Craftsmanship, 10 Completion
Museums utilize systems of ordering, classifying, displaying, archiving and storing objects, and through their broader institutional context, those objects are imbued with an aura of importance and authenticity. In some exhibits objects are removed from their original environment through the use of furniture, pedestals, vitrines, cabinets, and focused lighting—and a special notability and prominence are given to them, others create dioramas or vignettes to show the object in its original habitat or place. Museums maintain a voice of authority—we assume the exhibit text accompanying a display or object is stating facts, truth. Examine the systems and mechanisms that museums employ, and find some inspiration there to develop a personal project, whether it’s purely poetic, satirical or abstracted somehow.
PROJECT GUIDELINES
Work through a number of ideas and create some sketches of how you might approach them to share in class. You may need to create a sort of working prototype for this project. This will allow you to experiment with how you will construct your housing, display or performance, and consider different options. The size, material and method of creating or manipulating your piece is your choice. Perhaps this is an installation, a book, a video or photos showing documentation of a performance, artifacts that must be housed in some kind of container, a bass-relief wall piece, or a free-standing sculpture in-the-round. Be inventive! And remember to pace your work so you have ample time to amass your collection, experiment with possible ways of displaying and time to make the final work. Also, keep in mind that all of your assignments in this class can be approached loosely so that you can maintain a continuity with your larger body of work and/or research. Find inspiration from this prompt, and run with it!
IN-PROGRESS CHECK-INS
2/27, 3/05, 3/19
CRITIQUE
3/26
GRADING
40 points
10 Conceptual development, 10 Composition & design, 10 Craftsmanship, 10 Completion
MUSEUM ARTISTS