November 10, 2019
There is a tendency on the side of the institutions and curators to attempt to control the way people perceive the works on display. Yet, what one wants people to see and what they will see are two very different things. My role in this project is to figure out how exactly we can make people interested in the objects and the information presented without making it look like an obligation or a chore. Moreover, I would like to see if there is a way to direct people towards certain questions without damaging their unique perception of the exhibition.
At the moment, I am playing with the idea of an interactive survey. Some sort of structure that would attract visitors’ attention and make them want to participate. As a group, we were thinking about wires going through a wall or maybe each section having its own sticker which the visitors will then take, thus signalling their favourite display. I was also thinking about engaging some of the visitors in the conversation corner, so they could tell me about their experience of the exhibition, the reason they decided to come in, and whether their perception of the boardroom and the Library has changed since they entered our exhibition. I would like it to be a casual discussion, so people would feel comfortable and relaxed. It will be a challenging but hopefully a worthy pursuit.
It would also be great to get some feedback from the visitors on whether they believe that physical books are more “authentic” compared to digital resources, since the former carries permanent marks of damage, while the screen makes all mistakes and traces inconsequential and the object itself — immaterial. In my second thematic analysis, I am discussing the “aura” of authenticity and it would be interesting to see if it is partially associated with the damage the object sustains through the years. This way the history of the object turns into a physical trace and makes people aware that the artefact has survived some hardships before being put on a display.
Moreover, I am constantly thinking about the nature of engagement (digital and otherwise), which is reflected in this blog, as every entry is related to the subject in one way or another.
Featured Image: Photo by John Mark Arnold on Unsplash
