Museums have changed over the centuries, adapting to the changes in society and the way knowledge is presented. In an age where we have so many information sources at hand we are asked to be critical about the sources and the conclusions they point to. Museums are part of the educational realm and more and more people are being critical about the kind of assumptions museums allow with the discourse they provide.
Read MoreFor many institutions the relationship to their sponsors is benevolent and productive, for others however, the pleasing of sponsors becomes a delicate management of compromises. You don’t bite the hand that feeds you, right? But what does this dependent position do to the autonomy of cultural institutions, education or journalism?
Read MoreAnother take on why museums are not neutral.
Read MoreThe art world is not an abstract place, it is shaped through human experiences and connections. Neutrality does not exist in our experiences and is a concept we can just find in textbooks, life is much more complex and fascinating.
Read MorePeople often ask what I mean if I say that the private is political. It means for me that we develop beliefs and thought patterns based on our private experiences, it means that we will engage more passionately with experiences that we share and it also means that we need more radical empathy in a time that can feel like we are so different. So here I am taking a bold step and walking the talk...
Read MoreThe online dictionary Merriam-Webster defines neutrality as "the quality or state of not supporting either side in an argument, fight, war, etc. : the quality or state of being neutral". The question is whether institutions who deal with primary sources, historical and contemporary narratives and a culture that decides which discourses get public attention should engage in neutrality? My opinion is that Museums are not neutral.
Read MoreMuseums have to define their role within society to remain significant in the future. In the past museums were temples where knowledge was preserved and education was the highest value. This might still be a big asset, but with this purpose comes the voice of institutional authority, that does not facilitate a dialogue with the people visiting the museum. Museums are facing a shift in visitors engagement, storytelling, institutional organization, and what in means to be a successful museum.
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Anabel Roque Rodríguez is a curator, writer and art historian based in Switzerland and Germany, but open to travel to other areas. She is interested in the relation of art to the public and site specific conditions. She works within the realm of contemporary art with strong roots in its historic past. To understand an development, one has to situate it retrospective. Her focus includes political art, the artist as activist, art as labor, feminism, photography and the art market.
The writing on this blog is free but not cheap, it's build on hours of collecting, thinking and composing.
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© Anabel Roque Rodríguez 2021
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