BACKGROUND
“Museums have the power to change lives, inspire movements, and challenge authority” (Catlin-Legutko). With that power comes responsibility. Many of us have experienced moments of enlightenment at museums. Often we associate the value of a piece based off the fact it has been showcased in a museum. We have all felt the “flash” of insight that offers a glimpse of truth (Marcus, p. 229). We correlate what is in a museum as truth. But, have we stopped to question the museums?

THE PROJECT

Objective
The goal of this project is to increase the diversity awareness in museum.  To have the viewer play an active role in the museum experience. This project teaches methodology in understanding museum presentations.

Project
Participants will go to a museum with three postcards that will help them analyze what they are experiencing. Three maps of the diversity experience in the museum: 

1. Intention. Was the piece of art originally made to be in a museum? Are objects just displayed or is there context? Was the object made to be viewed by the public? 

2. Voice. This will be a dichotomy map between 1st person vs. 3rd person. It will show the dominate voice and if the voice represents the voice of the art or the curator.   

3. Placement. This map will be more open to interpretation, allowing for feeling and reaction. Where are different pieces from different cultures placed? Can you draw connection points, or are they all in one place? 

Using different prompts, there will be suggested shapes and colors to guide the student into then making visual data of that experience. The project will be adaptable to use at different museums and will lend itself to giving feedback to that museum.  

Step 1: Understand Visual Data

Step 2: Museum Visit + Collect Data

Step 3: Additional Research +  Synthesize Information

Step 4: Create Visual Data

Step 5: Mail them back to the museum

Media
Pen & Paper: It is best done with pens or pencils of a variety of colors.

Postcards: The postcard is a venue that allows the viewer to give the data back to the person who curated the show. We need change to happen in the curation. You can print the black postcard worksheet or grab a set of blank postcards. Don’t have the ability to print a postcard but still want to participate? The postcards have been made into jpegs you can download to your phone, you can edit with your phone and share on your Instagram story or Facebook page.


Audience
Museum attenders. A wide age range of learners can participate in this activity.

EXERCISE 1: INTENTION

Was the piece of art originally made to be in a museum? Are objects just displayed in or out of context? A large part of the meaning of a piece of art is its intention. Many pieces in museums are collected from other places and ripped out of context. Was this piece intended to be viewed, or is it part of a sacred religious practice, or is it supposed to be part of a structure. If you don’t know you can leave it blank. 

Step 1: Identify the different groups in the show. They could be cultural, they could be themed base.
Step 2: Make a legend using different colors to represent your different categories.
Step 3: Make your observations. Ask questions, read labels. If you can’t come to a conclusion feel free to leave it blank. 

EXERCISE 2: VOICE

What voice is the perspective of the piece made from? A quick way to pick up on voice is through the label. Another way is to interpret the narrative of the piece. Is this something that the painter is doing autobiographically or descriptively? The result of this map is to reveal the dominate voice, and if the voice represents the voice of the art or the curator. 

Step 1: Use a dot to indicate the paintings you interacted with.Plot your course through the museum with dots. The dots do not have to be in rows it can be more of a physical interpretation of your foot path.
Step 2: Take time to read the labels. Decide if it is first person or third person. Use the appropriate symbol to indicate. If you can’t come to a conclusion feel free to leave it blank.
Step 3: Add subjective response by adding more blue rings to the first person narratives that resounded with.

EXERCISE 3: PLACEMENT

Does the location of the piece say something about its importance? Placement of pieces plays a large role in gallery politics. It is often an indication of value. Where are different pieces from different cultures placed? This map will be more open to interpretation, allow for feeling, and reaction. Can you draw connection points, or are they ALL in one place? Feel free to get interpretive with your shapes. 

Step 1: Use different colors to represent different cultural groups.
Step 2: Plase a black dot to represent art pieces.
Step 3: Add (( to represent if the piece resounded with you or that you felt were important.  

CONCLUSION

Even as I cultivate this project, I recognize that I am a Dominican, American, Canadian who sees most of life through a lense that is influenced by living in mostly white European-American settings. My dream would be for this project to be replicated through different legends, questions, and observations in order for visual data to communicate. For museums to hear from Native Americans, Albanians, or Egyptians. That each group sets different parameters of values seen in art and museums. My hope is this project is an awakening for our country to intention, voice and placement of art. These lenses will continue to be complex as we continue to strip away homogenization.

REFERENCES

Catlin-Legutko, C. (2016). “We Must Decolonize Our Museums.” Tedx Talk.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyZAgG8--Xg

Dean, C. (2006) “The Trouble with (the Term) Art.”  Art Journal.

Kilroy-Ewbank, L. “Terms and Issues in Native American Art.” Khan Academy. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/indigenous-americas/a/terms-and-issues-in-native-american-art

Lonetree, A. (2012). "Collaboration Matters: The Minnesota Historical Society." Chapter 2 in Decolonizing Museums: Representing Native America.

Lupi, G and Posavec, S. (2016). Dear Data. Penguin Random House.

Marcus, J. (2016). "Towards an Erotics of the Museum."

McCambridge, R (2017). “Museums So White: Survey Reveals Deep Lack of Diversity.” Non-Profit Quarterly. https://nonprofitquarterly.org/museum-boards-directors-whitest-getting-whiter/

Min, S. (2015). “ Data visualization design and the art of depicting reality.” MOMA. https://www.moma.org/explore/inside_out/2015/12/10/data-visualization-design-and-the-art-of-depicting-reality/

Rosenbloom, S. (2014). “The Art of Slowing Down in a Museum” New York Times.