Recently, Dave Wells wrote:
 
**********
Many times, I know things about the exhibit that are not mentioned,
including the exhibition "controversies" or changes in exhibition
philosophies.  Recently, the Seattle Art Museum had a exhibit
of
Plains Indian artifacts.   Among those artifacts, were items with sacred
bundles attached.  No mention was made of those bundles and any care in
presenting or maintaining them in the collection.  Too often, I would
like additional information, which a computer information kiosk could
provide, on the exhibtion, the items in the exhibit, and maybe such
information about how the museum has dealt with such items as those with
the sacred bundles.  Isn't the mission of museums to educate?  Where does
one decide to draw the line between too much and enough information?  How
does technology such as computers "fit" into an exhibition (and how is
that information directed towards the different age groups)?
**********
 
Someone once told me that the information and history associated with an
artifact comes in layers. The creation of an object: the artist's background,
influences, the material used; the sale and history of an object: private
homes, musuems, reasons for it being one place and not another; the
conservation of the object: materials used, parts replaced.
 
This layering of information is perfectly suited to an electronic/
interactive display and structure. Images and text can "zoom in" and
"zoom out" of focus at the direction of the user. Ideally a small interactive
display, maybe not unlike the Apple Newton, could be placed next to a
work of art in a museum. A visitor could use the touch screen to access
layers of information related to that specific artwork. Sort of like
an interactive, electronic version of the little white cards that are
mounted next to paintings, which state title, year and artist.
 
Maybe the focus of a networked exhibit would be on the layers of
information associated with a work, MORE than a visual representaion
of the work. After all, most people do not have the high-resolution
monitors and high-speed modem connections that would be needed to
support a true visual representation of the artwork on their computer
screens...
 
This would be a delicious interface project. I would be glad to collaborate
with anyone who was interested....
 
Susan Jacobson
NYU - Interactive Telecommunications Program
[log in to unmask]