It's interesting to see how zeitgeist-y, cutting-edge interweb technologies/strategies/verbiages are being embraced by institutions to result in (and justify) total pap.
The following are excerpts from an exchange on Gill's Facebook wall.
Gill: This "museum participatory experience" designer put a jigsaw puzzle in the gallery with the art. The artist initially had a problem with it. I think I would have a problem with it, too. They should have worked together on a solution.
I hope that some of my art associates will see this here on Facebook. I'd love to hear your opinions about it. I would want visitors to be comfortable, but the bits of comfort shouldn't just be random. They should be connected to the art at least a little bit. This looks like she just plopped a living room down in the middle of the gallery, which is kind of tacky and distracting.
Me: "Plop(ping) a living room down in the middle of the gallery" is kinda au courant.
I agree that, ideally, an artist would be a part of (and certainly kept apprised of) decisions made in a space where they're exhibiting their work. However, it's far more likely that an artist will be somewhat - if not totally - beholden to the (lame, pandering) executive decisions made by whoever has been employed that term to make those kind of choices (especially when dealing with an institution that would endeavor to even have a "(K)reativity Lounge").
It's pretty clear that Ms. Simon is more concerned with implementing her radical "Museum 2.0" agenda (sorry I can't replicate the counter-cultural graffiti font she uses here) and upholding the implications of her bio-blurb to "design and research participatory museum experiences" (and to shamelessly promote her book, herself, etc.). Her post is a nest of self-justifying, obfuscating buzzword-salad that attempts to defend her glaringly inconsiderate/bad decision to "inaugurate" the conversation/puzzle-pit/eyesore. Again, how Simon tries to fold & align such a choice into her "web 2.0 philosophies" is hysterical.
The artist should've just taken her work down and been like: "You're a total dumb-ass, Nina. And pretty patronizing/condescending. And nice 'MUSEUM' temporarily-tattooed gangster-prisoner-style across your knuckles - your bad-ass edginess never ceases to amaze."
But it seems like everyone's just pleased & merry to be having "a thoughtful dialog about these issues."
On second thought, I retract the above diatribe. They should take down Hochstein's antiquated crap and install a Starbucks kiosk.
