Saturday, May 11, 2013

Museums and Prostitution

CLICK HERE TO GO TO SOURCE

A SMH EXCLUSIVE
The Powerhouse Museum has been prostituted in pursuit of misguided populism, says one of Australia's leading arts figures.

Leo Schofield also said millions of dollars had been wasted on renovating the building, in a withering attack on the management of the museum at Ultimo.
''As a former trustee of the Powerhouse Museum I am appalled at the recent history of this once vibrant institution and the whoring of a great and eclectic collection in pursuit of misguided populism,'' he said.

Schofield's scathing comments came as Arts Minister George Souris announced on Wednesday that Rose Hiscock would replace Dawn Casey as director of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, which includes the Powerhouse and the Sydney Observatory.

But Ms Hiscock would inherit a troubled institution, said Schofield, who was a trustee for nine years.
Schofield's views are rejected by Shirley Alexander, who became a trustee in 2007 and is deputy vice-chancellor of the University of Technology, Sydney.

''I think there are some people who will never agree that something deemed to be popular is the right thing for a museum,'' she said.
''We cater to all audiences, not just the elite.''

Schofield is also critical of the museum's facelift that resulted in a gallery devoted to design being replaced by a temporary touring exhibition space and upgrades to the entrance, cafe and shop. ''Millions have been wasted on rejigging what was a perfectly fine building and the choice of recent directors has been questionable,'' he said.

Schofield said the museum's reputation for collecting and exhibiting contemporary design had been harmed during Dr Casey's five-year tenure. Exhibitions on popular culture such as the Wiggles and The Chronicles of Narnia had come at the expense of decorative arts, crafts and design. ''What has got my dander up is the complete destruction of the design section of the museum,'' he said.

Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art and the refurbished Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery showed it was possible to elevate public taste, not debase it, Schofield said.
Schofield has been critical of Dr Casey, claiming in 2010 that many long-term museum supporters and donors viewed her appointment with ''considerable trepidation''.

''The institution is designated as a museum of applied arts and sciences but, bit by bit, the applied and decorative arts are being de-emphasised and the program of exhibitions dumbed down,'' he said in 2010.

A former director of the Sydney Festival, Schofield said: ''The tsunami of goodwill that once flowed to this institution has dwindled to a trickle''.

His criticism was echoed by the NSW Auditor-General, who gave a harsh report of the museum's performance in 2011.

The report found there was a ''dramatic decrease'' in the number of exhibitions held, while its Top Secret and ABBAWorld shows were so unsuccessful that the museum removed admission charges.

In contrast, Harry Potter: The Exhibition, which opened in November 2011, drew large crowds and helped contribute a profit of $2.7 million to the museum in 2011-12.

Professor Alexander said the renovation was prompted by visitor feedback that the museum was hard to navigate. ''We put a lot of money into re-engineering the space and fixing signage so when visitors come we want them to have the best possible experience,'' she said.

She said Dr Casey had addressed the lack of attention to science, innovation and engineering with new shows.

Friday, May 10, 2013

GLASShouse Night Sounds # 1


The inaugural performance of Night Sounds #1 on Wednesday, December 12, 4:30-6:30pm, featured musician Julianna Barwick in the Glass House alongside Ken Price’s sculpture Doola (2011). Julianna Barwick: Hauntingly beautiful & immersive, the music of vocalist/composer Julianna Barwick becomes a total experience of the senses when paired with sublime design. Barwick has released three albums to tremendous critical acclaim from The New York Times, National Public Radio (NPR), Pitchfork and more. The interface between voice and technology is central to Ms. Barwick’s art: her music is composed of raw material almost exclusively her own voice, layered and processed into figures that can alternately be described as familiar, soothing, alien, and tense... CLICK HERE TO GO TO SOURCE

40 Fruit



Tree of 40 Fruit, 2008-Present
Grafted fruit tree including peach, plum, apricot, nectarine, cherry, and almond
Courtesy of the artist and Ronald Feldman Fine Arts

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

WHAT CAN AND CANNOT BE DONE


If you are proposing to do something out of the ordinary, a little unusual, that contests the status quo, that involves change or even something quite simple, there is bound to be a whole list of reasons as to why in cannot, should not, must not, will not, be done.

The Auxiliary Museum is attempting to build an online ‘exhibit’ of these reasons given for NOT doing something in a museum. Indeed we are attempting to compile a definitive list so that people who come across idea blocks can recognize them for what they are – bureaucratic stalling devices. If as a musing visitor you are wishing to encourage the unexpected, the atypical or some other curious outcome, or even some other laudable outcome that challenges ‘the norm’ we hope that we can help you  muse upon these things when you hear them or bump up against them in some way. If you find a new manifestation please let us know.

Any unwelcome, extraordinary or unexpected initiative from an outsider or cultural activist can be delayed until after the next meeting, sustainability conference, review session, whatever, by a bureaucrat or functionary somewhere via a 'multi stage and multi facted' delaying process:
  1. Informal discussions with appropriate people;
  2. Draft proposal developed by suitably qualified people;
  3. Preliminary study formatted to meet the required standards;
  4. Discussion document drafted to meet the need of the appropriate authorities;
  5. In-depth study investigating the concerns of appropriate authorities;
  6. Revised proposal that addresses the issues identified in the earlier studies;
  7. Policy statement that accommodates the issues identified in previous reports and studies;
  8. Strategy proposal towards delivering the anticipated outcomes;
  9. The assessment of human resource capacities and needs
  10. Discussion of strategy to ensure that the process is as inclusive as required by key stakeholders;
  11. The application of fiscal resources
  12. Implementation plan circulated to ensure that all impacted upon by the proposal are included in the process;
  13. Revised implementation plans to accommodate unanticipated issues;
  14. Authority agreement to proceed conditional upon any new factor that may have arisen


NOTE: The funding agency does not work out what is needed and then think how to raise the money. It pitches for as much as it can get away with from wherever it can get the funding and then it thinks how to spend it.


If you have experienced, or are experiencing, other inhibitors please email zero@7250.net for our records and where possible for any assistance we are able to supply.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: This list draws upon Antony Jay's and Jonathan Lynn's 'Yes Minister' tweaked somewhat to fit the MUSERSworld