Inside the Museum

Description

This module is a conceptual introduction to the artistic, social, aesthetic, and political implications of the museum from roughly the 17th century to the present. It will involve specific case studies and theoretical writings that will challenge you to think about the museum as not merely a repository and exhibition space for objects, but rather as a complex technology for ordering and classifying material objects to create forms of knowledge; for constructing narratives of material and cultural history, aesthetics, and civic ideals; and for providing us with experiments in seeing patterns of meaning emerge in physical and virtual spaces. This module will introduce you to the museum as a tool for organising, classifying, and exhibiting objects, human remains, and art. Fundamentally, the intention is to demonstrate that the museum is not merely an inert space in which art is collected, stored, and exhibited, but is rather a complex form of shaping meaning through and about art and material culture. Particular attention will be paid to how the museum functions in the 21st century, including the complex intersections between the politics of globalisation, the increasing attention paid to historical and contemporary art and other objects from around the world, and rapidly shifting collecting and exhibition strategies in response to these changes. Some of the key questions we will be asking about the museum in the 21st century are the following: how deep is the museum's self-awareness and criticism of its practices and possibilities? How has the museum handled the rise of contemporary and global art and culture in relationship to issues of globalisation? How does the museum organise and classify its collections? How do forms of exhibition and display frame objects? Why has there been a massive increase in biennale exhibitions around the world? How public and democratic are museums and biennales? What are the politics and ethics of repatriating cultural heritage? Whenever possible, we will take advantage of important museums, exhibition spaces, art centres, and collections in Exeter and surrounding areas, as well as national/international collections where appropriate, in order to conduct visits and meet with directors, curators, restorers, and educators. This module also has the pragmatic goal of introducing you to one of the main career options that might be an option after graduating with a degree in Art History and Visual Culture. You will be able to use the skills developed in this module to think about a broad range of jobs and further education possibilities related to the practices of the museum including: curating, heritage management, art conservation, exhibition design, gallerist, arts management, arts education, university teaching, public relations, fundraising, art publication, art criticism, museology, postgraduate work in art history and visual culture.