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Imagekind Museum of Modern Art Discussion:
why do museums exist an
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April 23, 2009 at 4:25:51 PM #1
Discussions: 1056
Joined: 12/9/2006
Location: Forest Hills, New York
why do museums exist and why do so many people rely on them for the art that they see during their lives and why do so many artists want to get their work to be hanging in museums?
April 23, 2009 at 4:51:04 PM #2
Discussions: 1056
Joined: 12/9/2006
Location: Forest Hills, New York
Posted in reply to WalterPaulBebirian's post
well before you answer - did you ever wonder what was the first museum? or how or why they were ever created?

some answers for you here:
May 04, 2009 at 3:01:40 PM #3
Discussions: 202
Joined: 11/22/2008
Location: Long Island
Posted in reply to WalterPaulBebirian's post
I just read the article - and was (pleasantly) surprised that I was going to answer similarly to their descriptions of what eventually became museums...the personal collections of sculptures and decor that peoples had loved enough to put together in a way where they could enjoy viewing them again and again.  This could have been in gardens, or in homes on special pieces of furniture, etc.

I enjoy displaying the things that I love all over my home - but I don't care if they are something of monetary value to someone else, or if it is something that I found on a beach and might only be beautiful in my own vision.  I think my decor is my own type of museum.  It makes me happy, each piece has a meaning and/or purpose...and I can find myself "lost" in a corner of the house while looking at every little shell, crystal, wine cork, glass bead, owl, gargoyle, faerie...it can go on - it *does* go on! :D

The owners of beautiful collections also received a boost to their essence when they could "show off" their valued acquisitions to others - so it is practically a natural evolution to create a "museum".   As an artist, having one's work displayed in one of these museums gives us a sense of accomplishment and affirmation - to see someone stare into one of our own creations, see the same thing we were seeing when we were creating, or seeing something spectacularly different - it urges us to create more, to want to share with more people, to have others "experience" what has come from our imaginations. 

I just gave one of my paintings to my mom as a gift - and though it is nowhere near a museum right now - it feels wonderful to see it up on a wall, and most of all, to see her smile as she gazes at it every day.  :D
November 04, 2009 at 7:57:28 AM #4
Discussions: 3
Joined: 5/28/2009
Location: Wuppertal
Posted in reply to WalterPaulBebirian's post
Hi Walter,

these are three questions in one ...


== why do museums exist?
Sharing of original visual experiences. The one that a creator of art experienced or tried to induce (if so), or the collector graciously sharing his property to more people or due to some directors own opinion's what they think is valueable work.
I think its a kind of recommendation or an offer. ok.
Special is that we have a possibility to have these works available being otherwise just impossible at least in their originality and the uniqueness.
I remember havin been in Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum seeing one big  painting which was just overwhelming for me.

== what was the first museum?
The first museum for me is the Lascaux caves
( see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lascaux )
 
== why do so many people rely on them for the art that they see during their lives?
Well otherwise its unlikely to have this.
This will change if we have meter size flat displays at home and owners willing to share copyrighted works by means of net media.
But still there is this originality thing which cant be reproduced. uniqueness and reproduction is one the most inherent conflicts in art generation. see Walter Benjamin's article on art and reproduction.  Warhol showed us his genious compromise solution for this.


== why do so many artists want to get their own work to be hanging in museums?
is this really true? i am not sure.
would be nice to have one of mine hanging there.. 
being presented in a museum (or gallery) seems to be a kind of approval for something. do we really need it?
but as you sure agree: Can it be art if it relies on something else other than the artwork itself?

yours ~~ Allen Rybo


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