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Bursting the bubble:The urgent need for strong and socially engaged leadershipThe Museum Reader Conference, MNAC, Lisbon, 9 March 2017
The importance of “and”:
a comment on Excellence and Equity
Elaine Heumann Gurian,
Civilizing the Museum
“This report made a concerted
attempt to accept the two major
ideas proposed by factions within
the field – equity and excellence –
as equal and without priority. (…)
For the museum field to go
forward, we must do more than
make political peace by linking
words. We must believe in what
we have written, namely that
complex organizations must and
should espouse the coexistence
of more than one primary
mission.”
“It seemed to me that the most
important word in the title and
perhaps the whole document was
‘and’. It has occured to me that
perhaps my whole career was
metaphorically about ‘and’.”
Elaine Heumann Gurian
Miguel Zugaza,
former Director
Prado Museum
“The role of the museum is
grounded in the memory of the
nation and of civilisation. We
have a great responsibility to
conserve the past - the history
of humanity. At the same time, a
museum is a tool for educating
society,” says Mr Zugaza.
Conservation, however, always
comes first: “Even if we never
opened the doors of the Prado
we would be fulfilling an
important mission - the material
and intellectual conservation of
our collection.”
“I am excited to build on that ethos of
welcome.”
Anne Pasternak,
Brooklyn Museum Director
“Many of you took this as an opportunity to
share your gratitude and memories.”
“Your appreciation that our museum is
accessible and welcoming was heard loud
and clear.”
“You were also very vocal about your love
of our ‘largely overlooked’ collections.”
“You want us to continue to offer space for
the community to discuss and explore art
and current issues.”
“Tell me, have I missed anything?”
“I’m actively thinking about what
might be out there to support
affordable housing, live-work
spaces for artists and contribute
to a kind of community vibrancy.
This is not normally a thing that I
think most museum directors
actively engage in or think about,
but because of the conversations
I have had with these artists, it is
actively on my mind.”
Anne Pasternak
“I don't believe 17.5 million
people are racists or idiots. I
categorically don't. I think we've
got to listen. We've got to try to
do what little we can to address
the complete vote of no
confidence in our system.”
Rufus Norris
The National Theatre
“They didn’t even know that Trump
supporters and Brexit supporters
existed, because they were so in their
little bubble they just couldn’t see
them.”
Adam Curtis
BBC Producer and Filmmaker
Is the art world responsible for Trump?
“Anybody who is not an expert
entering the average [art]
museum today is made to feel
like a cultural pauper receiving
charity.”
John Berger, Landscapes
- Attention! You cannot step on the
metallic square.
- We can, we’re supposed to step on
it.
- No, it’s a work of art.
- How do you know, it hasn’t got a
black cord around it.
- There’s something written, I can’t
read, the letter is too small (the guard
is approaching worryingly).
- I´ll step on it, it’s not art.
- It’s got a label. It’s a museum
object. You cannot touch it.
- Ah...OK... (“this is not art”, whispers
the student)
“[Curators] may be prodigies of
learning and yet unfit for their
posts if they do not know
anything about pedagogy, if they
are not equipped to teach people
who know nothing.” (1853)
Edward Forbes
Naturalist
Detail of the statue of Uta, Naumburg
Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul
The sculptures were created in the middle of the 13th century out of Grilleburg Sandstone. Ten of the figures are merged with the walls, two are free-standing. They were originally painted but those remains of paint visible today date from restoration work in the 16th to 19th centuries. For early Gothic sculptures, these figures are extremely realistic and show a large amount of individual detail. The character of the sculptures and the very presence of figures of lay people in such a prominent place in the church make these unique in 13th-century European sculpture.
“Philippe, can you think of a single
moment, a single experience that might
have led you to a life in the arts?”
Philippe de Montebello and
Martin Gayford, Rendez-vous with art
