When considering a museum space and how highly curated and controlled it is, upsetting the conventions put in place allows for discoveries to be made in behaviours and unspoken rules. Codes of space dictate how we move through and experience the museum space. The material presented to us narrates a certain story which we can then interpret for ourselves.
The Tate Collective’s work with artist Sara Wookey culminated in a series of performances in Tate St. Ives; called ‘Drifts’. The aim; to create a performance inside the gallery toying with the conventions of visitor behaviour. The Drift: A group of people move silently through the gallery spaces, they act as a single body as they move together. Their movements exaggerate and at the same time question the actions of the visitors; why not move at speed? Why not sit on the floor? Speed, height, gaze and stance are all explored, and The Drift evolves as new leaders continuously come forward and then disappear back into the group. There is a silent invitation to join, but are you already part of the performance as a viewer? They are mimicking your movements after all. But are the visitors aware of this? Do they realise that they are the subject matter of the work? They are as equally in the spotlight as The Drift itself; their actions react from one another. Space is utilised to the maximum; the floor becomes a refuge to sit, to kneel, to lie down. The walls become equally as important as the artworks; The Drift approaches and engages with both. The Drift observes as it is observed. It is a transient performance with no given start or end, like a flock of birds the group flows together and disperses. No two Drifts are ever the same.
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Conclusions drawn over a period of study in the 21st century museum:
Museums are a project, a service – something highly choreographed that you can experience both in and away from a venue. The architectural spaces are utilised to frame narratives and collections. But as a result of his high level of control, any information given to you has an agenda, and does not have the full story attached to it. Any cultural viewpoint or understanding cannot be fixed. Each new interaction with any cultural voice has to shift the understanding of the dominant regime of representation. Meaning is, therefore, always in flux. Yet digital media has allowed the museum to be everywhere, to become 24 hours; connected to all visitors irrespective of location. But how far can a curator’s powers over a tailored experience stretch? Our experiences become influenced by our immediate surroundings and the content that we are exposed to outside of the museum walls. |
AuthorThird Year BA Hons Fine Art student studying at Falmouth University Archives
April 2017
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