Couldn’t Ask for Better Advice…from YOU!

This is a guest post Written by UW Museology Graduate Student Nicole Robert on an exhibition that will be on view June 6 to June 8 in the HUB, 9 am to 6 pm.

Have you ever received a piece of phenomenally bad advice? What advice would you share with graduating students this year? We want to know! I and thirteen other UW museology graduate students have been given six weeks, $300 and 72 hours in an exhibition space to create an art installation that includes you.

Advice: Give it, Get it, Flip it, Fuck it is built around your advice. Advice Logo Unlike traditional museum displays that are organized around an artist or story, this exhibit is literally constructed around your contributions. In a class taught by Nina Simon were challenged to create a display that would facilitate interactions between strangers.

We knew that the exhibit would run in the UW HUB during the week leading up to graduation, so we wanted to develop something that would be relevant to students at the end of the year without being cheesy. The result is an exhibit about advice. Advice necessarily involves a transfer of knowledge from one person to another—an interpersonal interaction—so both the format and the ubiquity of advice make it a great structuring concept for our goals. Once advice was selected as the over-arching structure, we needed a way to collect advice (the content of the exhibit) and to build physical interactions into the exhibit. Our first step is to invite virtual participation.

Here is where you can help us! Visit our website to find out how you can contribute video, photos, voice recordings or written advice. And tell your friends! Your advice will literally shape the physical exhibit. Rather than inviting participation that led to one result, for example seeing your advice posted in the exhibit, we wanted to create something that would build on your advice, and continue to engage participation. Here are some of the interactives planned for the exhibit:

ADVICE BOOTH
Visitors will be allowed to either act as a professional advice giver or to seek advise from pre-scheduled “expert.” Each ‘advisor’ would be able to change the plaque on the confessional to reflect what they feel their relevant personal advice-giving characteristics are (i.e “Ask a single black mother,” “Ask a working artist,” “Ask a doctor” etc.) Advice-seekers would simply approach and ask anything they want. Schedules listing our solicited advice-givers will be posted in the booth and on the tumblr page. Signage would indicate that whenever the expert “out” that you can step in and be the expert.

ADVICE-LIBS
Visitors will create advice Mad-Lib style, by vetting requested sentence components (noun, verb, adjective) and then having these placing these into well-known adages (i.e. “always ______ before you _______” or “a ________ in the hand is worth two in the _________.”) These wacky ‘remixed’ adages will then be pressed into buttons for the visitors to wear/take home.

THE BATHROOM WALL
Visitors will write advice to the masses onto either a real or contrived “bathroom wall.” They will be encouraged by signage to share great/horrible advice and to cross-off, comment upon and remix others statements– just about what people do on normal bathroom walls. GIVE ME SOMETHING TO GO ON Visitors will be able to post questions that they want responses to in available free spaces on glass cases and other visitors will be able to cluster responses (written on glass of cases? on post-its?) around these questions. Exhibit attendants will be the only ones allowed to remove/delete questions, and this should happen once room to respond runs out. Attendants will also photo-capture images of these displays for the tumblr page. Signage will encourage people to leave questions in the free spaces and respond. We will be documenting our design experiment, so be sure to follow us on adviceexhibit.tumblr.com. And if you are in Seattle, come visit our exhibit, on display from June 6 to June 8 in the HUB, 9 am to 6 pm. Whether you come online or in person, we need your advice! thanks Nicole – now for some advice on anger from the Golden Girls

Can museums learn from games?

Over the past few weeks myself and several other Museologists have been working to put together a workshop/lecture/ exhibit around the themes of games, play, and advice in museums.

Ken Eklund, award winning game author and designer, will discuss what new collaborative and immersive online games can teach museums about fostering peer learning, imaginative play and transformed perception of self and others. The free program takes place Saturday afternoon, June 6th at the Henry Art Gallery Auditorium.  At 2:00 pm, Eklund will lecture about alternate reality games and the lessons they hold for museums that seek to become more relevant and participatory in a socially networked world, and follow his lecture with a workshop at 3:00 pm exploring how a game designer might approach exhibit design challenges of engagement and interaction.

Ken Eklund is the designer of the groundbreaking alternate reality game WORLD WITHOUT OIL.  This timely serious game challenged players to creatively and collaboratively solve a simulated global oil crisis. In a recent interview with Culture Hacker at the Workbook Project, Ken describes what he does as “creating life-changing and world-saving games.”

This student organized seminar is presented by University of Washington Museology Graduate Program with generous support from the Henry Art Gallery.  Admission is free and open to the public, all you have to do is register real quick here!

Following the program, participants are invited to an opening reception for Advice an experimental student exhibit at the University of Washington Student Union Building (HUB).

WHEN:  Saturday, June 6th, 2009, 2:00 pm (lecture); 3:00 pm (workshop)
WHERE: Henry Art Gallery 4100 15th Ave NE Seattle, WA 98195
COST: Free, register at http://museum.washington.edu
CONTACT:  Kylie Pine, museologypdc@gmail.com

The even is now officially on the Henry art Gallery’s Calender and you cn put it on your by clicking the ADD button on the side bar, just don’t forget to register!

Heading East for the Summer

A short while ago I had the opportunity to visit PS1. It was awe-and-then-some.

Prior to my visit I had submitted an application for their summer internship program  because i had seen/heard good things about the institution. Little did I know that it would feel so familiar. The exhibitions I encountered were truly extraordinary in form and content.  I also really enjoyed the art as education / exhibition as encounter feeling one gets upon entering the space. The interplay of arts institutions as educational spaces is uncompromisingly contemporary, and creates a quirky and engaging space for visitors. 

I am more than thrilled to announce that I will be working as an Installation intern his summer. Having the opportunity to learn more about installation, exhibition design, art handling, and institution registration in such a dynamic and innovative (not to mention TOTALLY RAD) institution is going to blow my mind in the best of ways.

In addition to their current exhibitions P.S.1  offers a totally new museum experience come summer with their Young Architects Program exhibition/installation and a unique concert series, Warm-Up. You can check out more info on past series on their website and take a 3D media tour of last years events.

Perfect? Yes. I don’t think I could have asked for anything more Whitney appropriate than to work in a contemporary arts center that hosts totally boss dance parties. I start June 15th. I leave June 13th – the day after Bike Friday at the Henry. Its going to be a long next couple of weeks, of that I am certian.

Take it Home and Unpack it.

Last week Maxwell Anderson, from the Indianapolis Museum of Art, had some settling things to say about the role of technology in the transition from virtual to visceral audiences during the opening plenary for the 2009 Museums and the Web conference.

“As social networking continues to grow, a priority for museums should be to open the experiences they offer on-site to visitors online. By prioritizing production of web-based high-definition video, real-time transparency in reporting out museum activities, and new avenues for audience participation, museums may be able to stand out in the increasingly cluttered media landscape.”

The conference explored variable media strategies currently being used within museums from experimental exhibition initiatives (like using GIIS and GPS to map collections in physical spaces) to new interpretive plans (exploring collaborative histories through wikis) to new platforms for Digital Asset Management ( Fedora, Drupal, and Cloud Computing).

As a first timer to the conference I found the experience invaluable. I naively attempted to make it to every session I physically could while volunteering, trying to take notes, and participate in the backchannel. I think my head exploded. Twice. It was a marginally overwhelming experience and there is still a lot to unpack. But even with the variety of topics presented throughout the conference the issue of transparency and community involvement was one that stuck with me.

As a social media advocate, I couldn’t agree more with the statement made in the opening.  New technologies can help to build community, channel relevant news and information, extend conversations beyond the walls of institutions, and provide a space for the co-creation of knowledge. By inviting visitors, staff, and artists to join in on various networked communities, museums can incite communication and promote the dialogue and transparency necessary for relevance.

This was also the first forum in which people didn’t respond reluctantly to the idea of community generated content, in fact majority of the folks in attendance were searching out more ways to get their audiences involved.  Personally I feel that the more access and opportunity for ownership we provide our visitors the more they will invest in providing relevant content.

All too often people are afraid that if a public forum is set up that people are going to use it pre-pubescently. I’m not sure if I buy it. I know that in some instances people have a preternatural sense to act immaturely in anonymous settings but I can’t help be believe that if a museum created a sense of community ownership, that something like public forums could really take off in an effective way.

First attempts

For the 2009 DXARTS BFA Exhibition this spring I have set up a Bright Kite wall as a way for students, artists, and visitors to interact with one another both within the gallery space and online. Bright Kite is a location-aware social network that allows participants to interact with each other in real time. This network platform also provides location/event specific feeds called a Bright Kite wall. With this wall participants will also be able to send direct messages to one another via twitter, Bright Kite Online, or through SMS/Texting. These interactions, comments, and queries are fed to the Wall which can be displayed both on screen in a Gallery space or online. With this dual capacity active participants will be able to interact in a dialogue when on site and after they leave allowing those who visited the museum weeks ago to communicate with someone currently on-site about their experience.

Going to see a work is in and of itself is an encounter, but how can we support a more direct experience with the art and artists we support? Encouraging dialogue between visitors, students, and artists can provide a relevant forum for exploring the content, context, and interpretation of contemporary art in an inclusive and effective way. With a visitor population so actively involved in various social networks outside the museum space it seems appropriate to incorporate these elements of engagement within the context of the gallery and in turn energize discussion beyond the exhibition space.

Could this work in a museum? Yes. The Mattress Factory had pretty great success with Bright Kite and I feel as the mindscape of social media grows these public displays of dialog will become more relevant.  It may take a little tugging, but I’m going to continue to root for these sorts of applications.

To all you art lovers, haters, and creators. Babble on.

Everyone has an opinion on “Art” with a capital “A”. As a medium that thrives on relevance, it deserves to be questioned and commented on, by everyone. Enter ArtBabble…

Art-Bab-ble [ahrt-bab-uhl]
noun; verb (used without object) -bled, -bling

1. free flowing conversation, about art, for anyone.
2. a place where everyone is invited to join an open, ongoing discussion – no art degree required.

Last week the Indianapolis Museum of Art introduced its new content/community site Art Babble. The IMA’s new site features a number of documentary style in-studios and interviews with artists and curators. Working with video content from organizations like Art:21, MOMA, New York Public Library, SFMOMA, and the Smithsonian — this forum provides a space for art fans to watch, comment, create, and connect. ArtBabble features popular and recently viewed videos, quotes from artists and users, and a Featured user profile. The interface supports community commentary and helps create a sense of accountability. Anyone can join and each user’s commentary is equally valued regardless of degree or pedigree. As a hybrid archive and social media tool Art Babble hosts unique, high quality video resources on contemporary and modern art/artists. Unlike video-share sites like Vimeo or YouTube, the content on ArtBabble is provided by partner institutions. This puts restrictions on the content, but not the community. Even though the platform curates the website’s content, the community commentary is given equal face time on the front page.

Also featured on their home page is an invite to join their Facebook group. A Social network with a social network -its like a web 2.0 backdoor. A support forum for a support forum. On Facebook you can post your own arts videos, send art using ArtShare, and continue the dialogue. ArtBabble’s unique platform directs dialogue enough to support its goals but makes it open to everyone who wants to be a part of the conversation.

ArtBabble acknowledges that people can be profound, they don’t need a degree. Not to the discredit of those with one, it takes all kinds, arts education needs support now more than ever.

To all you art lovers, haters, and creators. Babble On.

#strangemuse

Yesterday marked day one of the University of Washington’s Social Technologies class with Nina Simon – and it was awesome.

The challenge for the day

1. talk to strangers.
2. get strangers talking to each other.
3. design objects that get strangers talking to each other without facilitated intervention.

Heres What happened:

For this experiment I wanted to try something simple with my group. I thought it might be a good idea to devise a simple game that would build on itself. Step one, talk to strangers, find out their favorite things, and give them a card. Step two, approach multiple unrelated groups at one time and ask them together as a group activity, let them talk amongst themselves, and give them each a card. Step three, watch individuals, groups, couples, and families all exchange cards and share their favorite things.
We had a stack of multi-colored 3 x 5 cards and chose one color for each area of the zoo – Blue Cards for the Gorillas, Green Cards for the Rain Forrest, Yellow for the African Village, etc.  We then went around asking people what their favorite things about gorillas were. As they were talking we wrote down a simplified version of their responses on the card, one thing per card. Some couples got one card, some groups had one card for each person depending on how “into” it they got.  They were then instructed to visibly carry the card around for the rest of their visit. I encouraged folks to make their cards visible through silly gestures, like fanning themselves, and one visitor tucked it into his hat.

For the second portion I decided to add on to the previous method by approaching a general area and addressing multiple groups at one time. This was a little more awkward because people were waiting for someone else to answer first, but eventually the awkwardness often led to people asking each other their favorite things and divvying up singular traits among people. They then encouraged each other to trade with other groups and egged each other on. I saw two groups exchange cards and walk out of the exhibit area together, only to see them later at the café together. That was kind of neat.

The third part of the experiment consisted of me lurking around the zoo, watching to see if people would continue to exchange these cards. I saw it happen a number of times, both within the exhibit they were given out at and elsewhere in the Zoo.  Since I had a stack myself, as I was writing them up and handing them out, I was approached a number of times by folks who wanted to trade, so I ended up with quite a few myself.

The questions and cards provided an easy way to approach strangers individually or in groups.  It became a “thing” – like joining a secret club or game. People got really into it after a while.  The cards gave people an easy excuse to approach each other, and those that were really into playing the game got others more involved too – pulled them out a little. I found that it was easier to outright ask a question with genuine interest, then to approach someone and ask if you can ask a question.  I also found that the less nervous I was talking to people, the more comfortable they were talking to me.

+Room – Room preview

so I’ve been working on the most recent Henry ArtCast.

Image 1 / 2: Jamie Drouin & Yann Novak. +ROOM–ROOM preparation view.

+/- Room Podcast – give it a listen,  if you like what you hear come on over to the Henry and check out the exhibition for yourself, if you don’t – tell me what I can do to change that.

Tag! Your It! and other reasons the Brooklyn Museum is totally Rad.

So, The Brooklyn Museum is kind of awesome. Its not enough to have your collections online – they know this all too well. Whats the incentive? Much like the internet, online collections databases need their own way to search though images. Unless your specifically searching something – how do you wade through thousand of photos of a museums collection – of objects that will probably never see on exhibition.

Tags. thats how.

The Brooklyn Museum has cleverly staged a competition - Tag! You’re it! – that asks its guests to participate in a rapid fire collections tagging game. The tagging process is an easy way to connect with other members of the BAM community and allows for individual authorship and interpretation. After a certain number of entries you are rewarded with ridiculously charming thank you videos created by the staff at the digital Lab.

They are also pretty great at making their institution relevant by creating virtual and physical communities that are sustainable, fun, and engaging. They have introduced a new membership plan called 1stfans that offers curated twitter updates from selected artists, opportunities to socialize at exclusive events, and updates on a number of social networking sites from facebook to flickr.

The Brooklyn Museum is totally Awesometown.

it all depends on you

Another gem from the Designs of the Year show for you this morning, this time from collective ‘TheGreenEyl’ with the satisfyingly titled ‘Appeel’.

Interactives are as their namesakes suggest -  Interactive. Sometimes its hard to get people to interact.. Sometimes its easy. Sometimes it just takes stickers.

Appeel inherits basic principles of interactivity and generativity applied to purely analogous means. Its immanent potential of penetrating regulated public and private space counterpoints its apparent plainness. The dot spreads with the promise to ironically mark its carrier as a symbol of sale and possession.

from one cinephile to another

Today, I went to meet with Ryan Adams, a Color Timer at AlphaCine Labs, for an amazing tour of their processing facility. From optical printing to digital color timing, the experience was one that would captivate any cinephile. As a film student, working with actual film, we always sent out our developing to this lab – so it was kind of like making a pilgrimage.

With more than fifty years in the business processing award winning films like Jesus Camp, Into the Wild, Born into Brothels, and I’m Not There, Alpha Cine provides lab services for all types of film and video processing. From traditional Lab processing (negative processing, color timing & printing), digital to film, to HD & 2k color correction, telecine and conversions to HD for feature films, documentaries, commercials and short films! In Short – they are kind of amazing. Living in a digital age it’s refreshing to see that analog technologies are still, in many ways, indispensable.

Oh, by the way, do you remember Viewmasters – they make those too.

Museums, as collecting institutions, are understandably baffled at the processes by which we should go about preserving and archiving film. As media changes so do industry standards. Mediums adapt or slowly become artifacts of early cinema.I suppose art/ film/ media has always been this way – conceptually immortal and physically disposable . Early silent films were rolled off the pier in Santa Monica – right into the ocean. They just thought no one would want them. From time to time collectors find stay artifacts – but like most forms of time based media, film is transient – epically nitrate.

There are institutions who give a damn about this tradgady – The Berkly Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive is one of them and across the water we have the National Musum of Photography, Film, and Television in Bradford, West Yorkshire.