On Thu, 4 Apr 1996, Hank Burchard wrote:

>      As a museum and gallery reviewer, I think that it would be
> appropriate to post a modest list of whodunits in every major exhibit. My
> reviews often concern themselves as much or more with how and why material
> has been presented as with the contents. I frequently am at pains to point
> out things such as outstanding or substandard lighting and limpid or lousy
> texts, and usually have to search out the name of the person or persons to
> whom credit or blame should be attached.
>      Exhibition is a theater art, and viewers should be aware of the cast.
> Personifying an exhibit also might tend to result in somewhat more freedom
> for curators by allowing the institution implicitly to distance itself
> from the opinions and judgment calls involved.
>      In the case of Smithsonian exhibitions, of course, it would be
> necessary to cut off the credits below the committee level.
>
>      Hank Burchard * <[log in to unmask]> * Washington DC USA
>

This whole entertainment model is really getting carried to a new level
here. Credits? Theme music has already found its way into many galleries,
can popcorn be far behind? The ultimate goal of society should not be to
emulate the movies, as entertaining and educating as they can be. There
are other forms of communication and expression. Museums used to
represent one of those alternatives. The replacemment of reason with
rationalization has made any proposition sound plausible to many. When
the museum acts as an insitution it represents something of significance
within our society.  As simply a large movie house with different
features playing in each gallery it kind of falls into a great morass of
colors, info, egos, and gee whizzes.  What will there be to review by
someone like Hank in the future, carnival rides, movies, museum
galleries.  Will we start passing out Oscars next? Siskel and Ebert? How
about letting the exhibit speak about the people represented in the
objects or the processes of nature exemplified in the specimen and
finding contentment in being associated with great accomplishments in our
society as represented by the establishment of a publicly accessible
institution that can bring reflexivity and research to everyone, and
content our egos to our writings and conferences? The museum does not
have to be the house of a thousand stars of museology.

Paul Apodaca