February 2010
5 posts
What Paradigm Shift?
For a real “paradigm shift”, consider The Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Quebec. Director George MacDonald was hotly criticized for placing the experience of the visitor ahead of the interpretation of the object. In other words, he sought the community’s help to assemble information about collections and specifically, the input of cultures that were represented in the...
Symbols of religious doctrine
Similar to the Cloisters, the architecture of the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art works in concert with the exhibitions. The staircase that spirals up through the exhibits mimics the circular, sacred structure of the mandala and the soft low light likely resembles the temples that would have housed the works. In the Cloisters, the medieval, cavernous architecture evokes the era in which those...
The Rubin Museum of Himalyan Art
The Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art in New York City has become one of my favorite destinations. A wonderful integration of electronic media and community events reveal the wealth of the museum – and remote cultures – to the public. The docents are trenchant – full of entertaining and relevant parallels that bring Himalayan art within the grasp of Western cultural percepts. At the Rubin website,...
