'David Bowie is' | Questioning sound tech's intervention

Last Friday I went to the V&A's blockbuster exhibition 'David Bowie is'. This post notes how I found the viewing experience different/interrupted, as a result of the designed sound experience. Perhaps reflective of David Bowie's musical output, sound played a large role in the exhibition. To create this hybrid experience the V&A collaborated with sound specialists at Sennheiser, whose mission was to help the Museum 'bring together Sound and Vision' (Sennheiser, 2013).  However, where sound experience can often strengthen the relationship between visitor and exhibit (in its provision of additional content), I found that in this case it distanced my relationship with the exhibits. Whilst the content of Sennheisers sound guide was both relevant and interesting, its all-encompassing and controlled nature made it difficult to fully engage with either the sound guide OR the collection. Different to others, this audio guide is not a 'guide' at all. Instead audio info is triggered based on where the user is currently stood, removing the opportunity for viewers to navigate their own experience. Hopping around to find the right trigger spot, I began to resent the audio content for dictating my viewing experience. Overall, it seemed that the exhibition content was being relayed by too many voices (both active and contributing at the same time). Had the audio content been activated by the visitor's selection rather than triggered by their location, this may have minimised confusion between the multiple information sources, and minimised the audio guides control over the visiting experience.

This post is critical in its discussion to recognise how tech can hinder a viewing experience as much as  it can heighten it. Perhaps curating the work of a Musician/Artist whose career is multi-faceted (fashion, music, artwork, video, design etc) requires a similarly multi-faceted viewing experience. However, when introducing these new dimensions the audiences' liberty to engage with art independently should never be forgotten. 

Click here for the Sennheiser press release.

'A Walk Through British Art' - Tate Britain's new Interpretation model

Instigated by Tate Britain's director Penelope Curtis, the permanent collection has been re-staged. The new display model ‘A Walk Through British Art’ went public on the 14th May 2013, reversing most of the decisions made when Tate Britain first opened. Factors of Curtis’ rethink include: the removal of accompanying interpretation, chronological display in place of thematic, and lastly the inclusion of more artworks.  However, with the introduction of this new model comes the question – why?

Museum Interpretation largely contributes to how exhibits are percieved and experienced by the visiting audience; therefore a big question for these institutes has always been: how much interpretation should we provide, and in what form? Each of the changes implemented by Curtis alter the way in which this narrative is delivered. Instead of attaining context through the artworks’ accompanying text panels, this now takes place in the form of ‘Introduction rooms’ (Sabine Kohler, Tate, 2013); separating the text display from the artwork display. Also providing context is the new chronological order of the permanent collection. Different to Tate Britain’s old thematic model, the chronological display links art to its history more directly; allowing artworks to describe British history, and British history to help describe the artworks. Additional to the chronological timeline running along the walls, the central floor space is filled with the BP spotlight collection 'offering more depth on particular artworks, artists or themes' (M+H Magazine, 2013) which will be the only part of the display that regularly changes. 

Assuming that Tate Britain removed text panels in favor of an ‘un-disturbed’ experience, my first reaction to the Guardians headline: ‘Tate Britain scraps explanatory panels next to works of art’ was - oh no, the audience will be alienated! However, instead it seems that this model is about re-deciding when museum interpretation should be introduced, minimising unnecessary intervention. Removing the option for visitors to read their way around the Tate Britain, this new model ensures that the primary activity carried out in the galleries is to engage with art by ‘looking’.

Click here to watch '500 years of British Art - Director's highlights: Penelope Curtis'.

A Walking Art Gallery... 'What the Flock?!'

This is a follow up on my last blog. What seemed to be a static, one off happening has turned into one that is moving through time and space. Over the last week I have watched the spray painted stencils, which existed on the main route from Hyde Park to the University, become faded under the foot of many a student on the way to lectures. I thought these were the only remains. However, this morning I witnessed the return of the flock, or more precisely of 'what the flock?!' Cardboard cut outs of black sheep on sticks were yet again stuck in the marshy grass of Hyde Park. This time with the date 10/10/10 printed on them. What did the date mean? Perhaps it was informing us of the beginning of the exhibition, proper, or even more interestingly the end-date. This got me thinking about the life-span of exhibitions. Conventional exhibitions usually advertise when, where and how long the exhibit is going to be. We are too often used to planning to go to an exhibition at a certain time and place. However it is becoming an increasingly common occurrence to stumble across artworks in public domains, which, repeating what i said in my last blog, gives us an entirely different experience. It is a much more confrontational kind of experience, we see it and experience it whether we like it not. For example, like in the case of the Mysterious Banksy, who has given rise to graffiti art.

I thought my questions would be answered when I caught a glimpse of a black sheep out of the corner of my eyes whilst sat on the Parkinson steps. I looked up to see a parade of people dressed as sheep with the trade-mark black-sheep-on-stick in hand. They were anouncing the date through a megaphone. I ran over to see if they would shed any light on what the flock was going on, but apparnetly they had no idea either. I was simply instructed to go to http://www.whattheflock.org.uk/ at 10pm on the 10/10/10. The 'exhibition' was now moving to cyber space. This is interesting as the internet is increasingly becoming a platform for new-media art and an art space in its own right. This is reminisent of the previously blogged Art experiment 'Second Life' by Hayley Goodsell. Creating virtual environments in which art can exist, or virtual environments and web pages that are actually art, again bring to mind the question of the art gallery. What constitutes an art Gallery? As you have suggested Mark work by the likes of Christo, who makes huge landmarks such as the Reichstag, Berlin (1971-95) into art objects by wrapping them up, thus making the environmental space surrounding it the viewing gallery. Therefore if the art object exists on your computer screen your bedroom becomes the gallery. It won't be long until an 'art gallery' app will be come available, if it hasn't already, making anywhere you are an art gallery.

After checking out the web page, which is linked to LUU, I began to wonder whether it was an art project at all. It could be anything to do with LUU from elections to the promotion of yet another weird and wonderful society or even a marketing tool for a new product. In any case I think it is an intriguing 'project' that raises issues surrounding what constitutes an art gallery. I can't wait to see what is to be revealed on Sunday.

http://www.whattheflock.org.uk/ ... watch this space!

Alex

Alan Davie at the Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery

Thanks to everyone who turned up at our recent opening night for 'Alan Davie' on 16 March 2010.

There were several familiar faces from Museum Studies on the evening, including our most wonderful work placement student, Nell Crook. Thanks Nell for helping us get the show up! I'm sure those who came to the event will agree that though the artist couldn't be there himself, his work was most inspiring...and certainly colourful!

Not sure what everyone thinks of the work, or the display itself? We did a 'snapshot' exhibition, as there wasn't a particular group of works Alan wanted us to focus on. As we're not a big space, we can't do a serious overview, so it was just a collection of highlights from his post-war career beginnings in 1948 to today. To augment this brief vision of his career, I've included some ephemera in a case: poetry he wrote to his father while serving in WWII and couldn't paint, jewellery he made in the late 40s-ea.50s when he had temporarily turned away from painting, his pilot's logbook from his gliding exploits in the 1960s and his recent rough sketches - to show the constant automatic drawing that informs his painting. We also have some experimental jazz recordings by Alan playing in the Gallery. Alan's had such a prolific career, and done so much in his life, it was really hard to represent it in such a small space! Does it work for you? Criticisms and thoughts are always encouraged...

Happy Easter all!

Layla