Fakes, Forgeries and Fear

Hello All,

I popped into the V&A last week, had a look at the new Medieval & Renaissance Galleries, which are fabulous....I'd certainly recommend them..the V&A is beginning to change quite radically I think....it's becoming much more interdisciplinary in it's presentation of objects. Maybe it could go one post-post-modern step further and ignore/disrupt historical 'periods' such as Medieval-Renaissance....(I think it's trying to do that to be fair in these new galleries...)
But anyway, the most interesting part of my visit was the 'The Metropolitan Police Service's Investigation of Fakes & Forgeries' exhibition (hardly a snappy title!)....it's very interesting actually...There used to be a rather subliminal 'fakes' display in the British Galleries, right near the end of the route, in a case with 'dealers and the museum' displays....it's curious how when the dealer makes an appearance in the biography of an object, the work 'fake' is never far behind....but anyway, I thought this new exhibition (sadly now closed I think?) articulated a similar subliminal response....here the 'fakes' are hived off, in there separate 'cage', locked away like the 'criminals' that they are....And by extension of course, the rest of the objects in the museum are not to be contaminated by these aberrant objects...I think there is a 'fear' here....don't you think?.....
Maybe a much better strategy would have been to diffuse these objects throughout the museum, and have them pop up in unexpected places (as fakes do, in real life!)...that would highlight in a much more sophisticated way the critical role that 'fakes' play in the discourse....and it would be fun.....and there's not much fun in fakes if you're a museum!
Mark

Museology Seminar Series

The Centre for Critical Studies in Museums, Galleries and Heritage at the University of Leeds are pleased to announce the next in our Museology Seminar Series - all are welcome!...Do come along...

Thursday 18th March 2010 at 4.00pm - 5.00pm, Room B.22, Parkinson Building, Leeds University.

'Researching 70 Years of Jewish Exhibitions and Museums in London: Questions, Motifs, Results'
Kathrin Pieren, doctoral candidate, Institute of Historical Research, University of London.

We look forward to seeing you all at the seminar...
Mark

Museum & Heritage Technology Seminars

Hi all,
the Centre for Critical Studies in Museums, Galleries and Heritage at the University of Leeds is hosting a series of Networking Events as part of a successful Higher Education Innovation Fund application. The events take place at the Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery at the University at 6.00pm and you are very welcome to come along, they last about 1 hour (45 min lecture and time for discussion...followed by drinks and nibbles)...hope to see you there!

Wednesday 24th February 2010 at 6.00pm - Professor Robert Cywinski (Applied Sciences, University of Huddersfield) 'Neutrons, Nuclear Reactors, Particle Accelerators....and Museums'

Wednesday 3rd March 2010 at 6.00pm - Dr Martin Cooper (Conservation Technology Lab, National Museums Liverpool) '3D Scanning of Cultural heritage: experiences at National Museums'

More to come...keep your eye on the Blog...

Mark

Don't Ask for the Mona Lisa!

Have you ever wondered how to turn your idea into an actual exhibition? Then this forthcoming seminar supported by the Association of Art Historians, on campus at Devonshire Hall may be for you!

Seminar: 'Don't Ask for the Mona Lisa: Collaborations between Academics and Art Galleries'

Thursday, 18 March 2010, 10.30-4pm

Tickets cost £30 for non-members, £18 for AAH members
The seminar, held at Devonshire Hall (University of Leeds) will focus in on three collaborative papers, where curators and academics will reflect on their experience of working together on exhibitions. The day will conclude with a roundtable discussion, with curators, academics and representatives of the key funding councils participating.

To book or for more information please visit the website of the Association of Art Historians (AAH):
http://www.aah.org.uk/museums-and-exhibitions

Supported by the Association of Art Historians, in collaboration with the Centre for Critical Studies in Museums, Galleries and Heritage (University of Leeds)

With the increase in funding initiatives aimed at encouraging knowledge transfer and collaboration, the event is aimed at academic art historians who have had little or no experience of organising exhibitions and is meant to be practical above all. It aims to explore questions such as; Can particular academic research projects influence exhibition planning? Who contacts who; the researcher or the gallery and who has the initial concept? Should the aim be to fit into a wider set of themes proposed by the Gallery in its programme planning? How do you prepare the proposal; should it consist of a written proposal or a formal presentation? Should you use illustrations and suggestions for exhibits as part of your proposal? Does the gallery and the researcher develop their own views of how the exhibition might look, or is this the role of a designer at a later stage? Does the proposal have to progress through several stages before it is finally accepted? How long does this process take? How long does it take from having the proposal to the opening of the exhibition? At what stage do you agree the allocation of responsibilities between the curator and the researcher for producing the exhibition? How much is the average overall budget for producing an exhibition? What are the benefits/limitations/problems of working in collaboration with researchers from outside of the gallery?

We are hoping to attract an audience of both curators and academics and the afternoon session will aim to be as interactive as possible in order to assist colleagues in exhibition planning, funding application preparation and developing collaborative partnerships.

Speakers:
Prof Catherine Karkov (University of Leeds) with Ellen Tait, Curatorial Assistant-Exhibitions, Henry Moore Institute (now at National Railways Museum)
Prof David Jackson (University of Leeds) with Edwin Becker, Head of Exhibitions, Van Gogh Museum
Prof David Hill (University of Leeds) with May Redfern (former) Head of Collections, Learning and Access, Harewood House

Is Habermas a Twitterer?

No.

But this really tickled me anyway:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/feb/02/jurgen-habermas-twitter-philosopher

Happy New Year

February...Gosh is it that time already?
The Blog appears to have been in some kind of hibernation....but anyway, all the students are back to work, week 1 has started (week 2 has started!) and it's Supervision time for the Research PGs; Placement time for the Taught PGs; 'Miller Time' (I jest) for the UGs.
There's been lots happening on the Museums and Art Gallery programme, and the History of Art with Museum Studies Programme...some really fantastic placement opportunities for the PGs and some interesting visits/seminar sessions for the UGs.....So...STUDENTS....why don't you let us (the world) know what's been happening?

MARK