If there’s one thing in this world that I really love, it’s art. So this week’s readings frustrated me more than anything. I know that I should have an open mind, and I try, but when I think about art being ‘interpreted’ by the masses, well, I feel slightly nauseous. Don’t get me wrong, I think that getting art out there for many to appreciate is a great idea. But I also think that it’s not the casual viewer’s prerogative to interpret it and tag it and maybe change the work of art’s very nature. In the readings for the week it says that the museum’s goal is to encourage user engagement and interpretation and that’s fine. It goes further to say that art has the capacity for multiple readings, and that interpretation should incorporate a “wide spectrum of voices and opinions from inside and outside the institution.” Why bother spending all those years and all that money on schooling if anyone could simply log on and start the interpretation process???? Yikes, I didn’t know I’d be this bitter, but I guess I am. So much for that open mind. I could be totally off the mark here, but I just can’t fathom the idea of an ‘amateur’ possibly changing the canon of the art world. Seriously, shouldn’t there be an authority in there somewhere? Sure, it might be fun to do an interpretation, get in online, and let others see what you’ve done. But what if your wrong? What if your opinions are just not accurate? Just like physics has formulas, art has terms. These terms are there for a reason. The AAM said that museums present one version of the “truth” but there are more stories to be told… and this is where the public comes in… hmm… I’m not sure I buy that.
I like to peruse museum websites, go through the collections, find out about upcoming exhibits. But that’s the extent of it. I don’t want to read someones opinion, and I don’t want them to read mine. Learning is great, everyone should do it, but it should be taught by an authority on the subject.
2 responses so far ↓
mckinleyalbert // November 3, 2008 at 5:13 pm |
I still think that authority can be maintained by the art museum. Museum curators must monitor the tags that are being assigned to pieces in the collections. Just like Wikipedia is monitored, online collections must be monitored by professionals as well. I am sure that a lot of ridiculous words have been assigned to online collections, but again, if those online collections are monitored properly, a lot of problems can be avoided. Museums are struggling. Field trips are happening less and less. History and art are not on “the test” and so No Child Left Behind has really hurt a lot of Museums. If social tagging can people interested in museums again…I am all for it. I want to keep my job.
awc4 // November 6, 2008 at 2:59 pm |
Museums should possess a degree of control over the tags being assigned to artistic treasures. Otherwise confusion as to the meaning of a particular work of art could occur. I wonder how smaller museums could utilize such tagging to increase interest in their collections.