What comes to mind when you think of a typical art institution? Do you imagine static museums where canvases hang limply on cold white walls? Or never ending hallways of sculptures whose eyes somehow follow you no matter where you go? Is the idea of art so abstract and archaic you don't even bother to think about, nonetheless visit these places at all?
If that is the case, for the love of god please, grab a friend, and get to your nearest museum and see some art! And bring your phone, you're probably going to need it. #artselfies
For many established art institutions, the dawn of the digital age was daunting, to say the least. For so long the art viewing experience was a passive one; a one-way street of viewer consumption that was often solitary and exclusive. New technology in its infancy felt invasive, museum visitors and gallery-goers were encouraged to silence their cellphones and respect tradition. But if you have ever tried to separate a millennial from their phone you know, this is a losing battle. Times are-a-changing, we now live with one foot in the real world and the other in our own virtual reality. Traditional institutions had to make a choice, evolve or go extinct.
The National Endowment for the Arts reported an 8 percent drop in museum attendance over the past decade. That, coupled with the fact I can't get a single member of my family to attend an art event with me, is a clear indication some changes need to be made. Institutions that decided to get with the times and join us in the future face a whole new set of problems, how to balance the needs of new audiences and old, infuse innovation with tradition. Art has always stood up to the challenge of connecting us with the world and those who inhabit it. What a better opportunity to demystify the medium and make it more relevant to larger and more diverse audiences than joining the digital revolution?
Here are 5 ways art institutions are adopting interactive technology to make art more Instagramable and accessible. Cellphone use is promoted, and please feel free to touch.
- Cooper Hewitt's "Immersion Room"
In 2011 the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum temporarily closed its doors in order to reimagine the role design plays in this contemporary and digital age. It reopened in 2014 more immersive and interactive than any other creative institution at the time. One such renovation that is changing the way visitors engage with the museum's collection and content is the Immersion Room, an interactive space powered by the Pen. More than just entertainment, the Immersion Room provides the first opportunity to discover Cooper Hewitt’s collection of wallcoverings as they were intended to be viewed, projected to scale on the walls around you. Visitors can listen to audio histories of the works and even create their own designs. Most importantly you can snap yourself a new profile pic as the exhibit is super photogenic.
2. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art's "Send Me"
The SFMOMA understands not everyone can hop on a plane and take a trip to the west coast to see some art, so they will send their collection to you in the comfort of your own home! (Or, in the cold basement computer lab at your university because you're a graduate student and you live here now.) On average, museums can only exhibit about 10% or less of their collection at one time, in the case if SFMOMA, only about 5% is on view in their galleries at any given moment. This project is a unique way to both utilize their extensive collection while simultaneously reaching a wider more active audience. With over 2,400,000 results, responses range from predictable to political, sometimes even comical. Like a good man, the SMFOMA will never leave you on "read" and will even humor your sad attempts at flirting.
3. The British Museum's "Virtual Reality Tour"
Virtual and augmented reality is whats hot, its the next frontier of tech, and The British Museum has managed to marry the past with the future through its new virtual reality tours. Partnering up with Samsung through their Digital Discovery Centre initiative, the museum uses Oculus technology to bring ancient artifacts and sculptures to life. This digitally immersive experience adds new context to objects and makes history part of the present.
4. Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum's "social media"
What a time to be alive where institutions of cultural prominence can be just as irreverent and sarcastic as their publics. Where exhibits are being curated for Instagram and institutions like @LACMA and #brooklynmuseum are slaying on their social media accounts. LACMA was the first museum to join Snapchat back in 2014 with a mission to meld classic pieces from their collection with Mean Girls quotes and Avril Lavigne lyrics. This push to make art and art history more accessible was heard around the world by a following of over 200,000 people. The Brooklyn Museum's Twitter account also got on board with this trend with their participation in #ArtMemeMonday.
5. The Met and Guggenheim's "Beacon Systems"
You cant turn a cruise ship on a dime. Large institutions (in both physical size and prestige) like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum are having an especially hard time tacking in the direction of the digital age. One of the steps these behemoths have taken is the implementation of a beacon system in order to improve museum way-finding and make their collections more accessible and engaging. The beacons serve as digital docents using Bluetooth technology to generate rich two-way conversations between the artwork and the viewers, providing more interactive information than traditionally available in catalog guides.
Happy arting!