Thats ok Marie,
Hypothesizing and philosophizing are all we can do about the issue right
now anyway. Besides it is an enjoyable passtime for us creative folks. I
for one do not trust anyone under 25 with anything really important without
supervision, for just that reason.
I have always felt that the elitist stigma that Mary mentioned is largely
intentional. We go to a great deal of effort and expense to draw in as much
of the public as possible, but we go to very little effort in making the
art intellectually accessible once they are here. I admit that can often be
difficult to do with some of the more esoteric forms, but it might be worth
the effort. I had (and I happily stress had) one curator who vehemently
denied that her writing and research should have anything to do with the
desires or understanding of the masses. Pure intellectualism was her goal,
and her writing suffered accordingly, in my personal opinion.
Perhaps that elitist separation is what perennially keeps the general
public at bay, rather than/combined with the public's misunderstandings.
The question will be how to get them to realize we have changed our elitist
ways if we can not get them to come in anyway.
Mark Janzen
Registrar/Collections Manager
Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art
Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection
Wichita State University
(316)978-5850
Marie Morgan
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>but perhaps that is part of the problem. We who work in
art museums are very likely to be among the small
percentage that was graced with enough of whatever it takes
to be interested in and understand the depth of art.
I think you might be on to something there. I can recall a
creative writing class where the question was posed: 'do
you have to be crazy to create a work of art?' and the
answer the professor gave was, 'no, but it helps.' Perhaps
the creation of art and it's appreciation resides in that
spark of talent that makes so many of the truly great
artists eccentric and wild. Yes, we understood it as
children, but then the world closed in and taught us math
and science and how to think logically, not creatively.
That spark got squashed. Those people who managed to retain
it, they are the ones who get art. And you musn't forget
that when the money is tight, art and music are the first
to go. What does that tell you about the importance placed
upon creativity? About our belief that students should have
creativity?
But who is to say that formal learning and it's science
based agenda is to blame? Now researchers are telling us
that our brains might not finish developing until we're 25.
They tell us that we become more aware of our mortality and
stop taking chances. I think that's something that anyone
who has made it to 30 can tell you. Maybe there is
something in the development of the brian that doesn't
close off like it does for most people. That spark, that
creativity. So, maybe its a lot of things, all contributing
to the lack of art museum attendance.
Instead, maybe we can focus on those that our respective
museums CAN attract and make the experience more enriching
for them? However, I realize that most people, especially
those giving you money, like to look at quantity of
experiences and not the quality of them. So, I guess I
haven't helped so much as I've just hypothesized and
philosophized a bit.
=====
-----
Marie Morgan
Librarian, Archivist
Graham Library
Coffeyville Community College
Coffeyville, Kansas
(620) 252-7220
-----
Reminds me of my safari in Africa. Somebody forgot the corkscrew and for
several days we had to live on nothing but food and water.
- W. C. Fields
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