The Creation Museum, in Kentucky

I’ve never been to Kentucky. Well, 2 hours in the airport doesn’t really count. But now it seems that I may have a good reason to go back.

The Creation Museum is not a joke. It has existed for a little less than a year and is for the first time being considered by museum peers in this month Museum News magazine (Science of Faith, article by Leah Arroyo).

A scary huge amount of money was invested to bring the alternative paradigm to life. In fact, while more academic museums struggle for years before they can finally reach a satisfactory operating budget, the Kentucky institution shows up with an extraordinary looking website, a tasteful animated commercial, and an incredible facility created by the designer of “Jaws” and “King Kong”. (I mean…if there’s a god, he must be a friend of the trustees)

Critics (mainly scientists) are concerned about the misrepresentation of science as exhibited in the rooms of the museum… because everything tends to convey that evolution is wrong and science is evil (and this includes a movie illustrating the days of the creation to a representation of a miniature model of Noah’s Ark with dinosaurs).

On the other side of the spectrum, some museologists argue that the organization doesn’t deserve the title Museum. Why not? Doesn’t it curate a collection of fossil remains? Doesn’t it hold a mandate? (no matter what the core is). If one considers that a museum has the exclusive duty to share facts rather than myths, then that’s a different story. But again even this is very debatable, because even the most main stream museums are filled with myths and interpreted stories.

A second life for museums

Have you read this month’s Museum News? There’s this article about virtual/interactive museums in Second life. I tried it too, and so should you!

First thing in the morning, I started with the International Spaceflight Museum. After using the widget that drives you around the precinct and getting inside a couple of space shuttles, I realized the whole visit would probably take about 2 hours… which is far beyond the amount of time I’m able to concentrate on a given thing.

Therefore, I pursued my museum quest with the virtual Starry Night, in other words a museum fully dedicated to Vincent Van Gogh (which was by far my favorite). The nice thing about that one was the many 3D reproductions of Van Gogh’s paintings such the one on the left. Very Good tutorials of how to walk around and what to see first.

But this is not it! in a minimum of time, I also traveled to Austria, saw Mozart’s house, went to some zoo, to the Dresden Gallery, to a Viking village, to the Adam Ondi Ahman LDS Visitor Center and a bunch of other lame wannabe educational and art centers…

The conclusion of this little hour trip inside Second Life:

Quite interesting to see how this new medium is being used as an educational back up for existing physical cultural institutions… (But I guess anyone could start a gallery, not only existing museum) I’d be curious to go back by the end of the year to see what has changed (especially the designs).

I’m also questioning the goals and missions of such virtual institutions… sure they’re developing a network among the 20-30 y.o. and under or so… but I doubt they can inspire them to get away from their computers and go to a physical museum. Then again,… only time will tell us.

Are Ethics Immutable?

Admit it! 70 years ago, an exhibit like Body Worlds would have never existed. Even today, huge amount of people criticizes the idea as being unethical, against their tradition/religion, or plainly disgusting.

Here’s a good quote:

“Ethics is about making behavioral choices. Some choices are better than others. Each human action starts a chain of reactions and sometimes overreactions that can affect other people long after the initial action is initiated. Bad choices can lead to overreactions that spiral out of control. Counterproductive choices become the inspiration of new rules of conduct. New rules evolve to minimize pain, suffering and death and to maximize peace prosperity and productivity. The never ending progression of rule making in human societies can be described mathematically. In the book (The Evolution of Ethics), the evolution of traffic laws is given as an example of an evolving rule system based on maximizing human survival and prosperity.”

Bromberg, S. (1999) The Evolution of Ethics: An Introduction to Cybernetic Ethics, Dianic Publications; Rev. ed edition, p. 122.

Now, when will human-animal hybrid embryo production or cloning be considered good due to their maximizing potential for human survival and prosperity? A decade? maybe 2? who’d like to bet? Will that be the next wave of shocking exhibitions?

Museums and Publics of San Diego

San Diego is an ideal city for museum lovers. Just minutes from downtown, in Balboa Park, there are at least 18 museums, and cultural centers next to each others. And, that’s without counting the Zoo, Sea World, MCASD in la Jolla and many other historical houses…

Because I didn’t have enough, I went to the north county location of the Mingei International Museum in Escondido last week-end. I found peculiar that the two exhibits presently showing had both an emphasis on Mexico. The first one “Folk Art of Mexico” showcased varieties of objects made for daily life, play and ceremony. The second ” Pre-columbian Art of Mexico” put more emphasis on the ancient history of the country.

Obviously (for me at least), a large part of the target public of this museum regrouped the Mexican community living in the area. Curiously, the only people I crossed path with in the gallery were old white people. There are of course hypothesis and emerging theories explaining why certain publics won’t go to the museum in spite of the fact that everything is done so they can relate to the expositions. These take into consideration the life priorities, the habits, the interests and the stakes of such new publics.

According to you, should integration mean more than a couple of nice exhibits? Is the outside appearance of the museum or its location important? Should museums create more educational programs aiming selected sections of the community? Is it possible that the Mexican community in Southern California doesn’t want to hear about Mexico that much?

Or are we facing a false problem? Museums and high art aren’t for everyone after all… they’re here to serve a small percent of the population (also called nerds)?

The adventures of Tintin in Peru

One of the freshest exhibition ever made is currently on display at the Musée de la Civilisation in Quebec City. Why do I call it fresh? Because from the moment I entered the gallery, it felt like I was witnessing a modern, engaging, pleasant looking, ergonomically well design exhibition… freshly prepared by the Belgium’s Royal Art and History Museums along with Fondation Hergé.

The exhibition was based on The Adventures of Tintin, a series of comic books drawn by artist Hergé from 1929 to 1983 and featuring the travels of young reporter Tintin and his dog Milou across the world. This particular trip took place in Peru.

In order to set the mood right, each room exhibited an environmental-type of museography featuring, among others, an antique Victorian library, a train ride to the Andes, a jungle and a giant waterfall. An audio guide was available at the door (and very much recommended because it replaced the labels). The audio guide content may be downloaded as an mp3 from the museum website.

Inserted here and there in the exhibit, ancient pre-colombian artefacts set the balance between pop-culture, history and archaeology.

This traveling exhibition is not the first attempt to emphasize the work of Hergé (Centre Pompidou, Paris, in 2006; Bunkamura Museum of Art, Japan, in 2002) but it is the first time such initiative has been put on improving the gallery appearance.

Perfect for families or any person with or without prior Andean cultures knowledge. Archaeological content is rich and often corrects cultural misinterpretations that may have stepped in the comic book.

Intangible Heritage

You’ve probably heard about the Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity created by UNESCO in 1997. The list of these masterpieces comprises less than a hundred cultural aspects, which is not a lot when you think there are 6912 known living language in the world (according to the ethnologue.com) and that each of them represents the voice of a particular culture.

Of course, all facets of the intangible heritable cannot be classifiable as “masterpieces”. However, there might be a place for them in museums which leads to these inquiries :

In what measure is there a place for Intangible Heritage in museums? This heritage is made up of many and varied complex forms of living manifestations in constant evolution including oral traditions, performing arts, music, festive events, rituals, social practices and knowledge and practices concerning nature.

Is there something wrong with bringing a live band/dancers/artisans in a museum exhibition? A priori, no. And a small stage could even be designed as integral part of the exhibition.

What if the cultural practice is considered “sensible” by its performer? Wouldn’t it be a step back to 19th century British World Fairs where ethnic families were exposed like objects?

Is the museum institution the right place to host such cultural aspects? Is its purpose to be a living window to the world? Or should the museum rather concentrate on preserving intangible cultural aspects for future generations? (for instance through digital means). Then shouldn’t it be libraries mandate to take care of this universal digital archive?