We use a mix of extended and identification only labels at this museum,
which has been guided in part by our visitors.  Our guards are also an
excellent gauge of visitor interest as they are often the first "museum
folk" to whom art-related questions are directed.  We have revised label
copy and created extended labels for works based on common questions
that the guards relay.

The majority of our medieval through baroque works have extended label
copy because of the symbolism in use.  Until recently, installations of
contemporary abstract/surrealist/conceptual art did not.  A non-art
friend visited the museum and complained to me that this sort of art
made her angry because she doesn't know why it's hanging in a museum and
she felt stupid for not knowing.  For me, her response defined the
sentiment behind many of the "that's not art" comments overheard
throughout the years.  We began (slowly, for all the reasons Jay lists
below) converting many of the id labels for these works to extended
labels.  Interestingly, whenever I visit the galleries I noticed that
the majority of our visitors read these labels, but not as many read the
labels for the more traditional medieval through baroque works.  Perhaps
they feel they already understand the subject?

However, I tend to agree with the newspaper article that prompted this
discussion.  I would sacrifice a text panel for a quality art object any
day.

Rachel Talent Ivers
Registrar/Exhibitions Coordinator
Bass Museum of Art
2121 Park Avenue
Miami Beach, FL  33139
tel. 305.673.7530
fax 305.673.7062


-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Jay Heuman
Sent: Monday, August 09, 2004 12:22 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Object Lessons


Hi Indigo,

Generally, a well-written op-ed piece.  Though I cannot disagree more.
You, after all, are not an average visitor.

Sadly, you fall in step with your criticism.  To be specific, while you
state at the beginning ("it's unfair to stereotype what the museum-goers
want when they go to a museum"), you stereotype art museum workers at
the end ("I just think that museum folk often take for granted that
which they've been entrusted to care for").

Some artwork here has extended labels which are about the artist
(approximately half the text) and about the artwork (approximately half
the text).  Some artwork doesn't get an extended label as there is
limited time I can devote to such research and writing when exhibitions
must be developed and hung, educational programs must be developed,
tours led, meetings attended, telephone calls returned, letters written
and mailed, grants completed, etc.

"Museum folk" are people, with reasonable limitations.  One of those
reasonable limitations is presenting information for the average
visitor.  The average visitor spends little time looking at each
artwork, and significantly less than half visitors read labels.  So, if
the average museum-goer doesn't even care about the artist's name or the
title of the artwork, what should make "museum folk" think the average
museum-goer cares about the complicated symbolism to which you refer?

Eager-to-learn visitors can approach "museum folk" and ask for more
information.  For me, that would be a highlight of my day, my week, my
month!

Sincerely,

j heuman, Education Curator
Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art
Utah State University
4020 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT  84322-4020
t 435.797.0165 | f 435.797.3423

Education costs money, but then so does ignorance.
Sir Charles Moser, b. 1922

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