A common fashion is seen in museums with the education staff participating
if not being wholely responsible for the writing of labels.  Curators used
to write labels but now often are handing their info to the educators who
then follow the journalistic convention of writing down to the 6th grade
level in the copy. I have spoken to a number of newpspaper editors and
museum directors who agree that this is the proper level necessary for the
general public. As the influences of larger market forces and competition
come into the museum there will probably be fewer examples left of
academic-oriented language in label copy. Synthesis can still be
enlightening if the subject matter is well understood by a good writer.
Good journalists have proven that before.  I certainly agree that language
skills are necessary for success.  Academicalese?

Paul Apodaca


On Tue, 11 Jun 1996, Hank Burchard wrote:

> On Mon, 10 Jun 1996, Paul Apodaca wrote:
>
> > A very common technique in label writing is to create levels of
> > information in the organization and printing of the label. A quick ten
> > second glance can give basic identification, more descriptive info such as
> > measurement, materials used, etc. then follows, and a small paragraph
> > giving contextual information follows that. In this way you get the ten
> > second, thirty second, or one minute reader all covered in the same label.
> > There is more info on how long people spend in galleries than on labels
> > available. Security surveys are good for looking at audience durations in
> > museums.
>
> I suspect that self-fulfilling prophecy plays a large part in how labels
> are conceived, and therefore in the way they are received. Curators, in my
> experience, tend to underestimate museum patrons, particularly the younger
> ones, and write down to them. Superficial information naturally receives
> superficial attention.
>
> In reviewing exhibits, one of the ways I test my own reactions is to stand
> by and observe those of others. I find that a significant percentage of
> patrons will spend significant amounts of time reading good labels and
> relating them to the associated objects. Sesame Street level labels get
> the kissoffs they deserve.
>
> I find two main causes of bad labeling. The first is inadequate language
> skills (often, I suspect, the result of overexposure to artspeak and
> academicalese). The second is ignorance of the subject of the exhibition.
> As a nonspecialist, I am appalled by the frequency with which I find
> errors of fact (never mind grammar and spelling) in principal exhibitions
> mounted by many of the country's leading museums and art galleries.
>
> These are anecdotal observations, but they span more than 20 years.
>
>
>      Hank Burchard * <[log in to unmask]> * Washington DC | USA
>