Monroe County and Ancient Art

The last two weeks, we have gotten to observe the principles from our readings in action in two different museums.  The Monroe County History Center and the ancient exhibit in the Indiana University Museum of Art have very different focuses, but both do lots of things well.

This week, both the article by Dana and the one on the Detroit Institute of Art showed the juxtaposition of the original purposes and uses of items and the gloomy, static present they face in museums. In the Monroe County History Center, while objects are no longer being used for their original purposes, most of them are placed in proximity of other related objects. The classroom and cabin displays tried to give a more accurate context of how objects would be seen in their day. By contrast, the items in the exhibit we observed in the Art Museum were sorted roughly by area of the world, but mostly isolated and placed in glass cases. Dana speaks negatively about this type of treatment, as the preservation of artifacts takes priority over the use of the artifacts for their original purpose or for the education of the public.

The article on the Detroit Institute of Art gives readers a good deal of background information on the items on display. I would have liked to have a similar guide in walking through the Art Museum. I like to not only look at items, but also to hear and read about them to get a better idea of their significance and history.

Dana also writes on the focus on extra-American items as art and as valuable. In this area, the two places we have visited so far could not be more different. The Monroe County History Center, as the name suggests, focuses on a small area of the country. All the objects I observed in the center were American. They were more accessible and less protected than one may expect of traditional museum settings. In the Art Museum, art is on display from multiple parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, and Africa. Absent from the display are artifacts from North or South America. On one hand, this may be justified given the “ancient” time period in focus. On the other hand, Dana may argue that this focus in itself and exaltation of the old may be flawed.

Also criticized in “The Gloom of the Museum” is the location of many museums. However, I think that both museums our class has visited avoid the main areas of complaint. The Monroe County History Center is in the center of downtown Bloomington in Monroe County. Being in the center of the city is one of the biggest features Dana advocates in location. In using pre-established buildings, the museum fits nicely into its surroundings, meeting another criteria Dana asks of museums. Likewise, the Art Museum fits into its setting. Placed in the middle of Indiana University’s campus, the large limestone building looks at home in the midst of academic buildings, libraries and the auditorium. 

The Local Museum

I have been to museums all over the world (see my main blog for such experiences) and have rarely encountered any that I did not appreciate and enjoy on some level. As a generally optimistic individual, I generally try to see the best in the situations I experience, including my museum experiences. However, this week’s readings have encouraged me to think critically and consider asking more of museums.

              

 I was grateful for the balance that came with reading both “Local History,’ Old Things to Look At,’ and a Sculptor's Vision: Exploring Local Museums through Curriculum Theory” by Elizabeth Vallance and “The Museum, a Temple or the Forum” by Duncan F. Cameron. Though I should have known via the absence of an oxford comma in the title Cameron’s chapter that I would enjoy the piece on the local more, both chapters brought valuable insights to my thinking about museums.

                

The chapter by Cameron focuses mainly on public museums. It calls all that would dare call themselves museums to a high standard of social and political responsibility. While the level of objectivity demanded in this chapter may be unattainable, it is worth looking into reform in the area of presenting multiple sides of stories and making sure that not only the dominant narrative is shared with the public. However, I am not sure I completely agreed with the strict defining and isolating of the museum upon which Cameron insists. I believe that there needs to be space for creativity and differences within the realm of museums. Having visited temples, I would vouch for their educational properties. A historical temple combined with aspects of a museum can be a great experience in learning what a certain group of people at a certain time valued.

                

The other chapter focused more on privately owned museums. While “The Museum, a Temple or the Forum” puts down the practice of subjectively deciding which items were real and valuable, the chapter by Vallance acknowledges the value of individuals being able to display collections that show more about themselves, such as The Continental Sculpture Hall. It allows a more fluid definition of museums. While still striving for a complete telling of histories, Vallance recognizes and celebrates the things that local museums do well.

                

The City Museum of St. Louis is referred a couple of times in “Local History, ‘Old Things to Look At,’ and a Sculptor’s Vision.” This summer, I visited this museum with several friends. While Cameron would likely argue the title of museum for this facility due to its playful nature as well as its being created primarily from one individual, I found it an incredibly valuable space that stretched my schema of museum in a positive way. Vallance comments positively on the quirkiness of the City Museum. While there is little text found in the museum, it is a testament to an incredible story of a man with a dream and a warehouse and encourages visitors of all ages to never stop playing an exploring, activities that create dynamic, lifelong learners.

                

 (I snapped this photo looking up in the City Museum in St. Louis)

(While exploring in the City Museum, I found myself in the giant teeth of a rock monster in an extended, multi-level indoor cave system!)

Over all, these chapters encouraged me to enter the museums we will experience this semester with a critical perspective. I hope to observe with an open mind, acknowledging strengths with enjoyment and weaknesses graciously.