Written by Alice McClintock and Evan McMurtry Alice's Perspective Evan and I ventured last weekend with some friends to see the AGO’s popular exhibition Mystical Landscapes: Masterpieces from Monet, Van Gogh, and More. Featuring works of several renowned artists, Monet, Gauguin, Van Gogh, and Munch, just to name a few, the exhibition also includes work by lesser-known artists, including Charles Marie Dulac and Henri le Sinader. What informs the central narrative of the exhibition is a discussion of the turn of the century artists’ interactions with mysticism, involving meditation and spiritual connection with the infinite. I enjoyed this exhibition; the AGO has brought together a host of incredible artworks. While drawing visitors in with a focus on “celebrity” artists like Van Gogh and Monet, there was equal representation for lesser known but equally captivating artists. Each piece was given pride of place, there was a clearly defined path through the exhibition, and the artworks were given enough weight visually. Even though the exhibition resurrects fin de siècle art, the theme itself is topical. Mystical experiences in this time were a way to reconnect with the spiritual in an increasing industrialized and war-torn world. Monet painted the Rouen Cathedral many times over in different light, and did the same with his famous Water Liles (Nymphaes) after long meditation in his Japanese garden. Lawren Harris painted northern Canadian landscapes many times over to capture their beauty and majesty. We are seeing a shift in the way in which people interact with spirituality in an increasingly secularized world. There is much more focus on the individual experience in both formal religion and other settings. What Mystical Landscapes explores is the highly individual mystical experiences of the artists featured. This is reflected in the individual styles of each painter, and each one is as valid as another. Evan's Perspective I share Alice’s viewpoint that Mystical Landscapes is a successful exhibition that does a nice job bringing forward some of the lesser known artists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. My favourite is the work of Paul Serusier, the avant garde artist who was crucial to the Post-Impressionist movement. Furthermore, there are many Canadian artists represented here, which reflects recent interest by the art market. And, moreover, there are some underrepresented women artists here; I had never seen so many paintings by Georgia O’Keeffe together in one place. That being said, this is by definition a blockbuster exhibition. There are some major artworks by some major artists represented here, such as Vision of the Sermon (Jacob Wrestling with the Angel) by Paul Gauguin. This painting is reproduced in many art history textbooks as a classic Post-Impressionist example of casting aside conventional use of perspective and colour. I also agree that the exhibition is topical and has popular appeal. Some of the artworks could have merited an exhibition on Post-Impressionism, for instance, but considering that most people - myself included - are unsure of what Post-Impressionism actually is, such an exhibition would not draw such a broad audience. Spirituality and mysticism hold a deeper meaning for most people, which I believe happens whenever individuals cultivate sensory awareness. The common conception is that artists are on the vanguard of spirituality and with the rest of us consumed with the business of our daily lives the only way that we can transcend the material condition of life is by appreciating art. The common critique of blockbuster exhibitions is that they eschew a scholarly approach in favour of ‘postcard’ art that is more likely to attract enough visitors to gain admission and concession sales. Judging by the droves of visitors attending Mystical Landscapes to see both major art and not-so-major art, it would seem that art museums can and do succeed by tapping into themes that are universal. We found the exhibition to be enjoyable and thought-provoking, bringing together a diverse selection of art. The AGO and its partner institutions mounted a very successful exhibition that gives visitors both broad strokes and intimate understanding of the Impressionist and mystical movements. The exhibition runs at the AGO until February 12th, and is a timed-ticketed event. Get your tickets at: http://www.ago.net/mystical-landscapes.
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Both of us are historical interpreters; we don historic costume to tell people about the past. In the many years that we have been variously involved in this role, we have devised a few tips for other museum professionals that will hopefully prove useful in their own roles.
Evan's Tips: 1. It is important to have situational awareness, or, more colloquially, to be able to think on your feet. Situational awareness, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, is the ability to: “identify, process, and comprehend the critical elements of information about what is happening to the team with regards to the mission. More simply, it's knowing what is going on around you”. This is an important quality for interpreters and program staff, as a program or tour is constantly evolving, and an interpreter who operates on ‘autopilot’ is bound to be unprepared for the predictably unpredictable nature of the job. For instance, in the role of program staff I have often correctly prepared for a Christmas tour only to realize that the group will be late (usually due to snowfall) and in such an instance there is no possibility of extending the program. That challenges me to stop and think on my feet, and to adapt my plans accordingly. 2. It is an unacknowledged fact that interpreters do their own research. Sure, we all get background packages explaining the basic facts of a historic building or period, but interpreters tend to love their jobs enough that independent research is a reward in itself. However, it can cause unintended problems for interpretation, especially given the temptation to lead off with one’s own latest and greatest research. I was pondering this problem while observing some veteran interpreters and realized that the best way to structure interpretation is to foreground the basic information and to put one’s own research in the background. If the visitor or student picks up on some interesting tidbit I’ve mentioned, then I’ll offer more information. 3. This next strategy comes directly from the teaching of Freeman Tilden, an American who worked with the United States National Parks Service. His manual, Interpreting Our Heritage, has informed the work of historic interpreters since the 1950s. One of his principles that struck me was that the visitor should always be acknowledged and valued for their insights and knowledge. In practice, interpreters naturally experience occasions when a visitor innocently states something incorrect. The key, to paraphrase Tilden, is to diplomatically correct them and thus still make them feel valued in their contributions and remain part of the conversation. After all, good historic interpretation should result in a conversation about history. Alice's Tips: 1. Inject your interpretation with humour! Having a well-meaning and well-placed joke or comment can do a lot to liven the mood of an interpretation, and visitors remember times when they felt especially happy or light-hearted. If you can attach a fact in with your joke, it is more likely to be remembered. Humour helps to boost fact-retention, especially with children (for more information, see this article: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/laughter-learning-humor-boosts-retention-sarah-henderson) 2. Find and make connections between past and present. When describing things to younger audiences, ask them what is similar or different from their own surroundings and life experiences. Asking an open-ended question is always a good start, and facilitates intellectual exploration. For older visitors, this can sometimes foster deeper intellectual discussions about historical narratives. Oftentimes, I use this opportunity to talk to visitors about more difficult history (xenophobia, misogyny, and so forth). 3. Be dynamic. Gesturing with your hands to artifacts, holding things in your hands, walking over to certain items of interest and pointing out constituent parts are all important things to do. Walking around the space you are in can help too; if you are in an open space it allows visitors to literally follow you at their own pace. Enthusiasm is nothing if not infectious, and if you are enthusiastic about your material, your audience will be too. We hope that you have enjoyed these tips about interpretation! Written by Alice McClintock In one of its latest exhibitions, the AGO sheds some light on the beautiful art objects that are Gothic prayer beads, boxwood carving that helped those in the sixteenth century pray through meditation on the imagery contained within each bead. Featuring over sixty prayer beads from various collections and a number of intricately carved miniature altarpieces, the exhibition brings four years of scientific research on these objects to the foreground.
It has proven, in previous years, very difficult to understand the full extent of the skill it took to carve such beautiful objects of worship. Scanning the altarpieces with Micro CT technology reveals details not always noticed by the naked eye, and answers the question of how these pieces were constructed. Similarly, 3D imaging allows visitors to view background imagery in much closer detail. Videos featuring these scans and 3D imaging are placed at strategic points throughout the exhibition, highlighting significant pieces. The exhibition is minimalist; the beauty and intricacies of the prayer beads are on full display. Sometimes a single bead sits in one case with full illumination, pleasing to the eye and drawing attention to the religious purpose of these objects. These devotional objects were used often during travel, and could be packed up for longer journeys. In line with the hands-on, and experiential learning trend in museums, the AGO provides visitors with an opportunity to handle a length of boxwood. I found this to be a nice added touch; it always helps to have an opportunity to touch the materials that are on display. In a similar vein, there is a small display of artist’s tools from the period, along with unfinished work. Through touch and observational learning, I feel that visitors will get a more holistic view of the carving process. Additionally, the exhibition offers a virtual reality experience for visitors on weekends, where visitors can immerse themselves in an individual bead by travelling “through” it. While I did not try it, it seemed like other visitors enjoyed it. What struck me was that boxwood carvings are featured prominently in the AGO’s Thomson Collection of European Art, but for all the times that I had been through the permanent collection, I had only seen a handful of people studying them. Here, in the Small Wonders exhibition, the AGO highlights some of its most astonishing pieces, giving them a place of prominence in the gallery. I felt that marrying six hundred year old objects with cutting-edge technology to be a smart move on the part of the curators. The exhibition offers opportunities for reflection, too. When I learned of the significance of these objects to the people who used them, and the prominence of religion in their daily lives, I thought about our decade’s own devotion to technology, and having portable pieces of it with us (be it smartphone, tablet, or iPod) constantly. I don’t know if the curatorial team intended upon visitors drawing such a parallel, but it was an interesting thing to think about, nevertheless. AGO’s Small Wonders exhibition runs until January 22nd, 2017. There is a full catalogue of objects available online and in the AGO gift shop, and there are a number of talks and performances in the exhibition’s closing weeks. With groundbreaking technology at the fore, and a closer look at some of the AGO’s prized pieces, Small Wonders: Gothic Boxwood Miniatures is not to be missed. |
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