On Sat, 6 Apr 1996, Paul Apodaca wrote:

> 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

      Ah, the academic life. I said *theater*, big guy, not artoons.

      Hank Burchard * <[log in to unmask]> * Washington DC