Experimental museumprojects aam2012

Experimental Projects:
Creating a Community of Practice
A panel for the American Associations of Museums conference, May 2012

Maria Mortati, Introduction & Context

Sarah Schultz, The Walker’s Open Field

Stephanie Parrish, Shine a Light at PAM

Susan Diachisin, The Center for Creative Connections at the DMA

FACEBOOK/EXPERIMENTAL
MUSEUM
PROJECTS
COMMUNITY
1

Image copyright: please contact presenter


Maria
Morta<

Independent
Exhibit
Developer,

Founder,
SF
Mobile
Museum

Co-Presenters: Susan Diachisin,
Stephanie

Parrish, Sarah
Schultz

AAM 2012
Tuesday, May 1, 9 am
2


&
how
“experimentalism”
informs
my
prac<ce

WHERE
I’M
COMING
FROM

3


FORMAL

New
Interac<ve
Educa<on
Spaces,
Center
for
Crea<ve
Connec<ons,

Bal<more
Museum
of
Art
Dallas
Museum
of
Art

Children’s
Crea<vity
Museum
Fort
Collins
Museum
of
Discovery
4


INFORMAL

The
San
Francisco
Mobile
Museum
The
Giant
Hand

Machine
Project
@
The
Hammer
Museum

Crier
Salon
by
Phil
Ross
Desire
Trails
Public
Program,

5

Headlands
Center
for
the
Arts


Explore
and
share
how
to
support,
realize
and
engage

with
a
variety
of
experimental
projects

Explore
a
history
of
“socially
engaged
art”
or

experimental
work

Consider
needs
for
vocabulary,
oﬀer
an
Elas<c

Manifesto,
Manual,
&
Bibliography

Discuss,
share
and
hopefully
connect

Why
We
Are
Gathered
Here
Today

6


An
Overview
of
[some]
Experimental
Projects

Museum hosted artist Permanent Museum
projects: Spaces that act as
platforms:
Shine a Light @ Portland
Machine Project @ Hammer C3 @ Dallas
Critter Salon @ Hammer Open Field @ Walker

Hybrid projects – neither art Art entities doing
nor non-art: their own thing:

San Francisco Mobile Museum Machine Project
Mobile Art Project Southern Exposure
Denver Community Museum 7


New
endeavors
have
a
need
for
a

shared
language

•  For
now,
we’re
just
going
to
talk
to
the

terminology
but
not
get
into
it

–  Social
art
or
socially
engaged
art

–  Par<cipatory
vs.
social
engagement

–  Art
vs.
interac<ve

–  Plaform

…so
we’ll
all
need
to
crah
it

8


Except
for
this
one:
Plaforms

•  Plaforms
are
systems
that
support

mul<disciplinary
and

inter-‐departmental
projects

9


We
are
here
because
we
are
moving
from
an
old
world

order
to
a
new
world
order

Old
World:
sealed
New
World:
porous

10


Old
World:
ﬁxed
New
World:
organic

11


Why
Are
Museums
Ripe?

•  “While
there
is
no
complete
agreement
as
to

what
cons<tutes
a
meaningful
interac<on
or

social
engagement,
what
characterizes
socially

engaged
art
is
its
dependence
on
social

intercourse
as
a
factor
of
its
existence.”

–  Pablo
Helgura

…because
we
are
fundamentally
social
en<<es

12


Museum
experience
Museum
experience

13


“One
of
the
things
that
is
great
about
working
at

Machine
is
we
prototype
all
these
ideas…
it’s
a
challenge

for
museums
because
their
very
core
purpose
is
to

collect,
preserve,
and
educate
visitors
about
things
that

are
precious
and
live
forever.

Something
that
was
interes<ng
about
being
at
the

Hammer
for
a
year
was
it
allowed
things
to
cycle
in
and

out.
And
it
took
some
of
the
pressure
oﬀ
each
individual

thing.
If
you
can’t
acknowledge
that
what
you’re
trying

to
do
might
fail
and
sGll
value
what
you
learn
from
the

aHempt,
then
you
have
to
succeed.
“

-‐
Mark
Allen,
Machine
Project,
Hammer
Report

14


We
Made
The
Most
Confusing

Way-‐Finding
Device…
Ever?

-‐
Or
-‐

Talking
to
the
Hand

15


hp://vimeo.com/15612336

16


The
hand
is
both
art
and
way-‐ﬁnding

•  It
was
fun,
it
got
people
where
they

needed
to
go

•  Mul<ple
purposes
and
contexts
in
a

museum
is
very
confusing….
TO
STAFF
&

SYSTEMS

•  It
was
not
a
design
solu<on

17


Crier
Salon
at
the
Hammer

(and
other
sites)

by
Phil
Ross,
Arist

http://vimeo.com/22781774

18


Who
Curates
the
Experience?

•  They
build
different
types
of

discussions,
capabili<es,

push
on
a
variety
of

departments

•  It
built
rela<onships
with

different
Affinity
Groups
in

the
region.
It
brought

different
audiences
to
the

Museum.

19


Why
Do
We
Need
A
Community?

•  This
is
new
work
which
means
that:

–  It’s
not
tried
and
true
=
inven<ng

–  You’ll
need
to
create
that
shared
language
for

developing
the
work

•  We’re
building
a
prac<ce
which
is
different
from

presen<ng
people/artwork

–  It
needs
a
web
of
rela<onships
to
succeed

•  It’s
different
work
when
it’s
at
a
different

museum

20


Ar<sts
may
or
may
not
read
it

A
FLEXIBLE
MANIFESTO

http://mortati.com/blog/?p=319

21


Join
us
on
FACEBOOK
to
add
or
edit

AN
INITIAL
MANUAL


22


Short,
shareable
and
ready
for
you

BIBLIOGRAPHY


23



Sarah
Schultz

Curator
of
Public
Prac<ce
&
Director
of
Educa<on

Walker
Art
Center

AAM 2012
24


Open Field
Walker Art Center
Minneapolis, Minnesota
25


Open Field is a three-
year experiment that
invites the public and
artists to create a
cultural commons on
the Walker’s green
space

26


inspired by the belief
that creative
communities are
collective endeavors
that thrive in a
landscape of diverse
ideas and practices.

27


We began with a four-acre lawn and the question:

What would you do with an open field?

28


This was an extension of earlier
social experiments and research.

29


30


The 4C Model:
A socially
conscious
approach to
cultural
programming.

31


The spectrum of civic engagement activities.

Commentary >> Dialogue >> Action >> Leadership

32


Open Field in Theory

Commons
Theory

Artistic Participatory
Practice Culture

This was part of a larger
conversation about evolving
institutional practice.
33


Open Field in Practice

Public

Institution Artists

Open Field considers the different ways to share
resources and create something together.

34


Project Goals
•  Resist the notion that the museum is the primary author
of content and experience.

•  Create a platform for many types of creative activity
generated by both artists and non-artists.

•  Position creativity as a collective and civic endeavor.

•  Imagine a new kind of public gathering space for the
city.

•  Blend social, intellectual, and creative experiences and
encounters.
35


The Open Field Project evolved in stages, from a team of 5 to a community of 5,000.

Phase IV:
Participation
(5000 +)

Phase III:
Implementation
(150)

Phase II:
Development
(50)

Phase I:
Ideation &
Incubation
(5)

36


In January 2010 we convened a group of 30 architects, artists, and designers to
collaboratively propose ideas for the field. 37


They identified steps to construct a social space 38


and plotted potential interactions between artists and the public. 39


They suggested tools and amenities to make the field more inviting.
40


In spring 2010, a physical space was created adjacent to the museum 41


featuring food, shade, seating, and a large open field. 42


A Tool Shed and Drawing Club provide ongoing platforms for public engagement.43


The public is invited to share their own creative activities with minimal mediation and
44

modest support from the Walker.

An online hub provides a public calendar, documentation, and guidelines for the field.
45


The guidelines, or Field
Etiquette, are outlined on the
website.

walkerart.org/openfield/
introducing-open-field/field-
etiquette/

46


In hindsight, the Open Field strategies
of engagement looked like:
•  Tools for empowering participation

•  Rules for guiding participation

•  Seeding or modeling participation

•  Meeting to nurture the casual and social
encounters
47


Over the course of two years the public brought more than 200 activities to the field.
48


Suzuki Violins
Swedish Song Session in the Turrell
49


The Public Intellectual
50


Gorilla Yogis
51


Plein Air Painting
With a view of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden 52


In addition, the museum invited national artists to create projects with the public.
53


Red76: Anywhere/Anyplace Academy
54


Red76: Pop-Up Book Academy
55


Futurefarmers: A People Without a Voice Cannot Be Heard
56

Commissioned by the Walker Art Center and Northern Lights.mn

Futurefarmers: Auctions Speak Louder Than Words
57


Machine Project: Summer Jubilee / Concert for the American Lawn
58


Machine Project: Summer Jubilee / Opera for Dogs
59


Machine Project: Summer Jubilee / Building an outdoor oven
60


Walker Kitchen Lab:
A Mobile Hearth for Collectivist Action

61


ROLU in Residence
Making as thinking. Participation as performance.

62

Photo: Zoe Prinds-Flash

In the voices of Open Field participants . . .

63


“Open Field is a place where you can bring your
best, creative self forward.”

DiverCity and Mudboots Marching Band

64


“Open Field
reminded me of
how removed I’ve
become from play.
Humor can get us
through the
workday, but for
play, we need
other people and
the willingness to
suspend all self-
consciousness
with them.”
65


“For me a small
group talking about
a topic unrelated to
artistic practice is
indeed the opening
of a field. There are
no bounds to the
conversation and
people can feel free
to share and
understand one
another.”

66


Photo: Zoe Prinds-Flash

“I don’t know how to measure the success of my project. I now realize it’s not about success
or failure but rather the opportunity to design new experiences. This is a shift in how I think
about my work and I have Open Field in part to thank for that revelation.” 67


68


Have fun. 69



Stephanie
Parrish

Associate
Director
of
Educa<on
&
Public
Programs,

Portland
Art
Museum

AAM 2012
70


71


hp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4BfB8sNRXk

72


Shine
A
Light

2009-‐11

73


74


75


Portland Art Museum:
Shine A Light: Programming Goals
(as written for 2010 & 2011)

Programming
•  Situate art (producing, interpreting, enjoying, puzzling over) as a living activity
that everyone has the potential to participate in
•  Encourage an atmosphere of participation between the museum, its visitors, and
artists.
•  Activate gallery spaces that suggest the museum is also a “site” of art production
and practice.
•  Situate the entire museum as place of multi-layered interpretations,
conversations, and unplanned directions, multiple interpretations in the galleries
•  Inspire inquiry into the connections between art and everyday life.
•  Have fun!

Audience
•  To make the museum feel relevant to young arts-interested audiences,
especially people between 18-45 years old.
76


77


78


79


Hannah Jickling
Portland Orienteering Museum, 2010
80


81


82


Ariana
Jacob
with
Mirah

Serenedes:
Musical
Conversa@ons
Between
Humans
and
Artworks

83


84


85


86


Harrell
Fletcher

Museum
Visitor
Cellphone
Photographs,
2009

87


88


Ariana
Jacob

Art/Life
Partners,
2010

89


90


91


92


93


Jason
Sturgill

Art
is
Forever,
2011

94


Ariana
Jacob

Art
as
Experience,
Guaranteed,
2011
95


96


Lexa
Walsh-‐Ar<st-‐in-‐Residence

97


Publishing/Sharing
the
Work

98


99


Strategic Plan
Approved by Board of Trustees, December 2010

Strategic Directions:

A. Serving as a Center for Visual Art, Film,
Culture

B. Innovating to Create Compelling Audience
Experiences

Serve a lab for creativity by articulating and
extending promising practices from recent
experiments.

C. Engaging Diverse Communities

Build involvement of diverse communities through
joint education and curatorial initiatives that are
rooted in outreach and listening.
100


Susan
Diachisin

The
Kelli
and
Allen
Questrom
Director
of

the
Center
for
Crea<ve
Connec<ons

Dallas
Museum
of
Art

sdiachisin@dallasmuseumofart.org

214-‐922-‐1317

AAM 2012
5/1/12
Center
for
Crea<ve
Connec<ons
101


C3
Mission
Statement

The
Center
for
CreaGve
ConnecGons

is
an
experimental
learning

environment
that
provides

interacGve
encounters
with

works
of
art
and
arGsts.

It
is

designed
to
s<mulate
curiosity,
inquiry,
and
reﬂec<on

in
visitors
of
all
ages
and
learning
styles.

The
Center

will
serve
as
a
bridge
between
our
everyday

experiences
of
looking
and
the
transforma<onal

experiences
of
seeing,
crea<ng,
and
connec<ng
deeply

with
works
of
art.
Center
for
Crea<ve
Connec<ons

5/1/12
102


11,000
visitors
12,000
sq.
feet

per
month

Gallery

Spaces

Changes

every
6

300+
months

arGsts

per
year

MulG-‐
Community

generaGonal

Partnerships

Programs

103


ExhibiGon
space
with
works
of
art
from
the
collec<on


ExhibiGon
space
with
works
owart
the
wthe
cof
art

Par<cipatory
components
f
ith
from
orks
ollec<on


Exhibits
designed
with
mul<-‐genera<onal

visitors
in
mind


A
Making
Bar
promotes
crea<ve
ac<vity


Theater
for
ﬁlm,
performance,
lecture
and

installa<on


Art
Studio
for
workshops,
classes,
open

studio

Tech
Lab
where
art
and
technology
meet


Arturo’s
Nest
for
children
4
and
under

Young
Learners
zone
for
children
5-‐8
years
old


See
Bibliography
for
more
details

OUR
VALUES,
AND
HOW
THEY
RELATE

TO
EXPERIMENTAL
PROJECTS

5/1/12
Center
for
Crea<ve
Connec<ons
111


Our
Founding
Values

  Visitor
Centric

  Experimenta<on

  Collabora<on

  Crea<ve
Process

  Community


What
a
“Community
Partner
Response
Installa<on”

Can
Look
Like

5/1/12
Center
for
Crea<ve
Connec<ons
113


Team
Structure
in
Rela<on

to
Community
Partners

Educa<on

Director
&
Exhibi<ons

Partnership
Director,
Exhibi<ons

Staﬀ
Coordinator
Graphics

Designer

C3
staﬀ

Registrar

PR
Community

Partner
Director

Preparators


C3
gave

Community

Partners
a

high-‐proﬁle

area
and

crea<ve

freedom


University
of
Texas
at
Arlington

School
of
Architecture
&
Interior
Design

TRIAL
RUN:
GROUP
AS

COMMUNITY
PARTNER

5/1/12
Center
for
Crea<ve
Connec<ons
116


University
of
Texas
at
Arlington

School
of
Architecture
and
Interior
Design

117
Center
for
Crea<ve
Connec<ons
5/1/12


•  Visitors
loved
it

•  Visitors
didn’t
dis<nguish
always
between
the
collec<on
art
and

student
work


UTA
as
Community
Partner:
results
&
impacts

Tech Lab Grant Young Evaluation
Tech Lab
Install Program letter of Learners Subject
Partner
2008 support Install Spring
2009 2012
Fall 2010 Fall 2011 2011

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

Installa<on

5/1/12
Center
for
Crea<ve
Connec<ons
119


With
Ar<st
Lesli
Robertson

ACHIEVING
PARTICIPATORY
DIVERSITY

THROUGH
COMMUNITY
PARTNERSHIP

5/1/12
Center
for
Crea<ve
Connec<ons
120


Reaching
all
cons<tuencies
in
our
community


Ar<st
Lesli
Robertson
included
the
work
of

580
par<cipants

122
Center
for
Crea<ve
Connec<ons
5/1/12


The
installa<on
also
included
visitor
par<cipa<on

components
on
site

5/1/12
Center
for
Crea<ve
Connec<ons
123


Ar<st
as
Community
Partner:
results
&
impacts

16
Bark cloth
Workshops Bonnie’s exhibition
2009 Book 2010 advisor
2011

Letters of Evaluation
Weaving Staff
Gallery support Subject
Demo Recomme
Talk Workshop 2010, Spring ndation
2008 2009 2010 2011, 2011 2012
2012

Workshop
2011

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

Installa<on

5/1/12
Center
for
Crea<ve
Connec<ons
124


Southern
Methodist
University

BUILDING
RELATIONSHIPS
THROUGH

GROUP
AS
COMMUNITY
PARTNER

5/1/12
Center
for
Crea<ve
Connec<ons
125


SMU

Project

Loca<on


Interes<ng
Invite,
Complex
Dynamics:

• 
5
Working
Ar<st
Faculty
members

• 
2
Alumni
Ar<sts

• 
+
Very
complex
installa<on


Diﬃculty
balancing
the
ar<sts’
inten<ons
with

museum
aesthe<c
and
objects
(nearby)


Plus
Side:
Programming
livened
the
installa<on


Impact
of
SMU
as
Community
Partner

Late Night SMU Young
Program Intern
Advisory Learners
2011 Team Install 2012
2011 Fall 2011

7 Work- Kids
Panel Gallery Teaching
Improv shops Robotics
Talks Kids
in gallery 2011 2011,201 2012
2011 2011
2
Teen
Program Rapid
Tech Lab
Advisory s Artists
2011, 2011,201 2011,
2012 2 2012

9

2010

2011

2012

Installa<on

5/1/12
Center
for
Crea<ve
Connec<ons
130


These
projects
have
a
genera<ve
impact
on
the

community
and
museum

5/1/12
Center
for
Crea<ve
Connec<ons
131


Experimental
Partner
Installa<ons
are
crea<ve

and
they
build
community

132
Center
for
Crea<ve
Connec<ons
5/1/12


Q+A

•  Why
do
this?
How
do
you
sustain
this
work?

•  Ar<sts
are
ar<sts.

•  Where
does
the
crea<ve
spark
for
theses
projects

come
from?

•  Does
it
always
have
to
be
ar<sts
or
at
art
museums?

•  Is
this
work
messy?
How
can
it
be
good
AND
messy?

•  Why
do
we
need
allies?

•  What
didn’t
work?
Where
are
the
train
wrecks?

•  What’s
the
big
deal
about
DOCUMENTATION?
Why
is
it

so
important?

133


Susan Diachisin
Kelli and Allen Questrom Director of the Center for Creative Connections
Dallas Museum of Art— dallasmuseumofart.org/C3
SDiachisin@dallasmuseumofart.org

Maria Mortati
Independent exhibit developer & project planner
Founder, San Francisco Mobile Museum
maria@mortati.com

Sarah Schultz
Director of Education and Curator of Public Practice
Walker Art Center—walkerart.org
sarah.schultz@walkerart.org

Stephanie Parrish
Associate Director of Education and Public Programs
Portland Art Museum—pam.org
stephanie.parrish@pam.org

Manifesto,
Manual
Bibliography
can
be
found
at
134

Please
join
us
at:
FACEBOOK/EXPERIMENTAL
MUSEUM
PROJECTS
COMMUNITY


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