It seems to be the general consensus that museums serve as outlets of education and active engagement for the average patron. I wish my personal experiences with these fine institutions could reflect this seemingly accurate portrayal of the functions of museums. Needless to say, they don’t. Looking at paintings or artifacts has never sparked the intended interest museums are “supposed” to invoke. I consider myself a very tactile person and the mere act of trying to decipher the meaning of a photograph or other related art is an extremely daunting task. But, over the years I’ve learned not to under-appreciate the value of the experiences museums have to offer; and, as a result, have introduced myself to various kinds of museums, searching for the most appealing form of art within them.
Many people find the aesthetic beauty of art most appealing, that which is easy on the eyes. I, on the other hand, search for the bizarre and unexpected; and, I find it in the most unique places. Two summers ago, in Egypt, I went to an exclusive Mummy museum and it was one of the greatest experiences I had had in a long time, let alone in a museum. The function of this museum, in many ways, was to take the community out of the immediate environment and in to a more inspirational space, and raise awareness of the history, that may have otherwise been forgotten. This presumption about the function of museums serves true for most typical museums and seems more appealing than the vast, overgeneralization that museums serve to educate.
ICP’s mission involves reflecting social change through their exhibitions and asserting a new meaning on the definition of contemporary art. Reality is captured in its most raw form and transformed in to an image, a momento from a life being lived. Photographs have no meaning in themselves, but ICP allows these photos to not only have meaning, but to also instill a transcendence in the mind of the viewer.
ICP has a mission statement. Please go to their website @ http://www.icp.org (there’s a link from the course eportfolio) and post it to your page. Do you feel the museum delivered what it states its mission is? Did your feelings about museums change at all from yesterday’s visit?
The visit to ICP definitely changed my perspective about the significance and value of museums in our culture. ICP altogether offered a different outlet for viewing photography and exposed the work of artists who broadened the static definition of art.
The different mediums through which the artists conveyed their artistic expression was enlightening and deeply touching as the subject matter was very close to home. Included in ICP’s mission is to reflect and influence social change, opening new opportunities for personal and aesthetic expression. The museum definitely delivered through with its mission and thoroughly changed my feelings about my approach to viewing museums in general.