Synopsis For Interpretation by : Noël Jones
Topic: exploring art museum interpretation as a medium with massive reach and the potential to foster media literacy, empathy and critical thinking. Audience: visual art journalists, museum workers, art school faculty and students, art enthusiasts and activists. Target publication: Triple Canopy. Research: interviews, professional experience, texts, studies, articles, websites, and internal museum documents, including process documents and audience research evaluation reports. Contribution: this thesis shines a light on the art museum interpretation process as the design process of a medium with massive reach that is unknown to almost anyone who does not work in the field of museum interpretation, as well as the potential for art museums to impact the health of American society and democracy. IN BRIEF: Interpretation in art museums is a relatively new professional field with massive reach and impact, a field that I encountered, explored and eventually engaged in during my years working at the Art Institute of Chicago. While finishing my master’s degree at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, as I crossed Michigan Avenue back and forth from work to school each week, I realized over time that the process of developing interpretive materials and strategies in art museums was opaque to almost anyone not directly involved in the process—even among other art museum workers, and the faculty who teach in art schools. This thesis is an interview-based, long form study, that explores the interpretation process in American art museums, discussing its implications and key findings with regard to the potential for art museums to be revelatory and relevant in the face of 21st century challenges. Research questions: 1. What is interpretation in art museums, in terms of function, history and scope? 2. Who creates interpretive materials and engagement strategies in American art museums and how? 3. What challenges do art museum interpretation professionals grapple with that art journalists should be aware of? 4. What are the implications and potential societal impact of art museum interpretation on society at large? Theoretical and critical frameworks: To explore these questions, this study drew on five main theoretical frameworks: Freeman Tilden’s original theory of interpretation, Paolo Freire’s theory of critical pedagogy, George Hein’s theory of constructivist learning, Marshall McLuhan’s media theory of the medium as the message, Beverly Serrell’s philosophy and approach to art museum interpretation, A theory of subconscious strategies and motivations for resistance to persuasion by social scientists, Marieke L. Fransen, Edith G. Smit, and Peeter W. J. Verlegh, Maura Reilly’s call for curatorial activism, Hannah Arendt’s assessment that societies are most vulnerable for totalitarianism when their citizens are isolated and atomized. Data: The data is comprised from process documents, evaluation reports, visits to exhibitions, interviews with interpretation professionals from seven case study art museums (The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Museum of Modern Art, The Rubin Museum of Art, The Whitney Museum of Art, the Detroit Institute of Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago), attendance at two museum conferences: AAM 2019 in New Orleans and AAMI 2019 in Detroit, texts and studies on museum interpretation and media theory, social science studies, audience research evaluation reports, visual art journalism articles, as well as my experience as a museum educator and interpretation professional at the Art Institute of Chicago. ANALYSIS: Interviews: The analysis of team interviews was carried out to explore philosophies, attitudes, practices and challenges of interpretation professionals across a spectrum of art museums in America. The analysis was structured around five key themes: Explore and reveal the interpretation process in art museums, Illustrate the history and ongoing evolution of the interpretation process and unique pressures that interpretation teams in art museums face, Explore arguments for and against interpretation, and the role of art museums and interpretation teams in inspiring self-motivated, inquiry-based learning, critical thinking, and media literacy, Explore the potential for interpretation teams to practice “interpretive activism” within art museums. KEY FINDINGS: Art museum interpretation is a complex collection of media with massive reach. Most people—including art school faculty and students, and museum professionals not directly involved in the field of interpretation—are unaware of its existence or the extent of the process involved in producing this media. While there is potential for “interpretive activism” in art museums, there are also unique, complicated challenges to driving progress in meaningful and significant ways. Though it may seem counterintuitive, activists and art critics actually support interpretation professionals in their ability to drive progress internally. In our current historical moment, the U.S. public trusts art museums more than government and journalism. Studies by current day social scientists have validated the theories of Tilden, Freire, Hein and McLuhan. Art museums offer unique potential to promote media literacy and help heal deep divisions in the U.S. CONTRIBUTION: This thesis provides three significant contributions: A roadmap of the art museum interpretation process, An understanding as to unique pressures interpretation professionals navigate in their field, Perspective as to the impact art museum interpretation teams can contribute to the overall health of American society and democracy.