Experiencing Museums (Asynchronous Session)
People, Property, and the Panopticon: Envisioning the Post-museum through Decolonial Marxist Analysis of Collections View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Leeann Ream
In response to recent global interest in addressing and rectifying racial and class-based injustices, many museum professionals and, by extension, affiliated community members have embarked upon a campaign to envision and enact a truly diverse, equitable, accessible, and inclusive (DEAI) iteration of the museum as an institution. One of these more common recent efforts of these professionals and community members began with activist calls to “de-police the museum.” While in some respects laudable, too often such demands have fallen short of effectively grappling with the museum’s violent enforcement of private property through the acquisition, maintenance, and interpretation of their collections. To that end, in this essay, I argue that abolitionist, decolonial, and Neo-Marxist strategies conceived in the political, rather than the cultural, realm may model a more effective approach. My hope is that critical analysis of some of the more recent DEAI attempts, noting not only their strengths but also their shortcomings, will reveal their frequent inability to effectively unseat deeply ingrained institutional injustices, including those that rest at the very foundation of the museum: the private collection. To conclude, then, I argue two points: first, that by implementing these critical strategies drawn from the realm of the political on museum collections’ ownership, the issue of inaccessibility can be critiqued at its core; and second, that in abolishing private property—in this case the private ownership of museum collections—the radically democratized and truly DEAI post-museum can emerge.
Blind Musicians ‘See’ Beauty in House Museum View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Hatice (Sule) Ozer, Laura Hanks, Jonathan Hale, Xijing Chen
House museums are places where visitors can see the past life in the present. A house is a one-piece artefact that includes various pieces of furniture, clothes in the cabinet, paintings hanging on walls, dishes in the kitchen, etc. A house run as one place/house/museum to see the beauty of real life in the past. It was related to seeing beauty in its place, the beauty of daily life. At that point, there could be access difficulties for blind people as everything is supported visually. House of Handel in London is an inspiring space to encourage the younger generation of blind musicians to pursue their dreams. The house was designed as an experimental place to walk in the musician life. Handel's life has inspired the museum to communicate with blind musicians by walking into the room where Messiah was composed, touching furniture, and performing. The communication of the museum focuses on the tactile and imagination. This study investigates the interpretation of musician house museums and their reflections. The case study, the visit to Handel House and virtual tours are primary research methods to achieve the aim. Secondary research methods support this study with critical literature reviews of house museums and 'seeing' beauty from blinds. The study shows that Musician House Museums could teach how they survive with unique struggles in the museum world and its effective uses of interpretations for blind people. Embedded memories and objects turn out to be 'a realistic unreality in a real place'.
Featured Mural Arts Philadelphia View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Netanel Portier
Mural Arts Philadelphia is the nation’s largest public art program, dedicated to the belief that art ignites change. For more than 35 years, Mural Arts has united artists and communities through a collaborative and equitable process, creating nearly 4,000 artworks that have transformed public spaces and individual lives. Mural Arts aims to empower people, stimulate dialogue, and build bridges to understanding with projects that attract artists from Philadelphia and around the world, and programs that focus on youth education, restorative justice, mental health and wellness, and public art and its preservation. Popular mural tours offer a firsthand glimpse into the inspiring stories behind Mural Arts’ iconic and unparalleled collection, which has earned Philadelphia worldwide recognition as the “City of Murals.” Established in 2017 as an initiative of Mural Arts Philadelphia, the Mural Arts Institute is dedicated to advancing research on and development of participatory and socially-engaged public art practices. We work with artists, activists, arts organizations, cultural institutions, municipal governments and more through an approach centered around connection: building networks, developing partnerships, and convening artists, community, and partners to collaborate on learning opportunities, projects, programs, and change-based initiatives. Our work is in service to a larger movement that values equity, fairness, and progress across society.
