Some of the low attendance may also be chalked up to old fashioned
ignorance. I've been going to art museums since I was a little girl but
never went to a gallery until I was in college. I'm embarrassed to admit
that, until then, I didn't realize that I *could* go to galleries; I had
thought that any institution with the word "gallery" in its name was only
for people who wanted to buy art.
Rachel Roberts
Dallas Historical Society
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214.421.4500 ext. 110
-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Mark Janzen
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2005 1:22 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Art Gallery Problem
Robert,
Diane is right; our attendance is likely not that much lower in the general
sense compared to other institutions our size, and is certainly not the
result of some intrinsic flaw. Comparing the visitorship of large well
funded organizations to small underfunded ones, or science centers and
history museums, etc. is apples and oranges. There are always fluctuations,
but I know visitorship is fairly stable in my institution. I think the issue
is a combination of the attitudes of the viewing public and the way in which
we market ourselves. There is, of course, a great deal of variation in size,
collections, programs, and visitorship to all of our institutions, so
results may vary.
The real problem is entertainment. We are forced to compete with innumerable
other activities, which our immediate-gratification-obsessed populace has to
choose from. If we move too far toward competing with them, we become a side
show and lose the nature of what we are. If we do nothing, we risk being
relegated to the bottom of the list. I personally find it rather insulting
to be lumped in with water parks and sports events as options for
entertainment, but that is the nature of our world. If a history museum that
is generally the same size as my art museum is getting significantly more
visitorship, then it seems likely they are doing a better job of engaging
the public on that entertainment level.
Our society also does an excellent job of teaching its individual parts to
turn off their minds in the pursuit of that enjoyment(as well as most of the
rest of the time). A deeply intellectual and/or emotional pursuit such as
appreciating art seems to generate an aversion reaction in the general
public. We are asking people to use their minds in a fashion they are not
used to, and in a way that is not supported in most of the rest of their
lives. A small percentage of the population realizes the benefit of doing
so, and those will be the ones who come back time and time again.
I have always wondered about people who have been to a gallery once, thought
it was nice, but who have never returned. I refer to this as the
pretty-picture syndrome. Perhaps they were overwhelmed or underwhelmed?
Perhaps they felt they did not "understand" the art? Perhaps they think one
gallery/exhibition is going to be so much like another that there is no
point. However, I think it most probable that they got exactly what they
were expecting to get from the gallery experience, and are unaware(or
unconcerned) that the experience can change with further visits, even when
viewing the same works. We need to make sure they get more than they expect,
so they will come back for more.
Mark Janzen
Registrar/Collections Manager
Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art
Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection Wichita State University
(316)978-5850
Robert Steven
<robertsteven@GMA
IL.COM> To
Sent by: Museum [log in to unmask]
discussion list cc
<[log in to unmask]
SE.LSOFT.COM> Subject
Art Gallery Problem
02/28/2005 11:01
PM
Please respond to
Museum discussion
list
<[log in to unmask]
SE.LSOFT.COM>
Do you think there is an intrinsic problem with the insitution of the public
art gallery that causes it to receive lower attendence in general than other
types of museums? What do you think that problem is? Is there a solution?
Your advice will inform my research on this subject.
Thanks very much,
Robert Steven
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