Following after Fred Wilson's Mining the Museum in chapter three of Describing Art, our assignment was to choose 3-5 items from separate areas of the MIA (Minneapolis Institute of Arts) and describe an installation we might create. The installation is meant to challenge the viewer's assumptions about those works of art.
Here goes.
The pieces I am choosing are the Allegory of the Four Elements by Cornelis Jacobsz. Delff, the Virgin and Child in a Landscape by the Master of the Embroidered Foliage, the The Resurrection of Christ by Giovanni di Marco, and the Lamentation with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Catherine of Alexandria by the Master of the Legend of Saint Lucy
I would place all of the pieces inside a large, plain white room - four walls. The room would have no lighting, save for three spotlights shining on Virgin and Child in a Landscape, The Resurrection of Christ, and the Lamentation with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Catherine of Alexandria. These three pieces would all be hanging in the middle of the room so they are the first things you see when you walk in. Behind them, hanging on the wall in the dark, would be the Allegory of the Four Elements. It would only be slightly visible from behind the three hanging in the middle of the room, and the details of the painting would not be clear in the low light.
My idea was to show the way that religion, specifically Christianity, is always battling against science. I mean, think of the argument alone between the two when it comes to teaching evolution or creation in schools. Eesh. Anyways, I wanted this installation to show that overall idea of war between the two and how most people focus directly on the religious aspect of the argument and don't give much thought to the scientific side. That is why the Allegory of the Four Elements is hanging on the back wall in the dark. The scientific side of the argument does not get as much publicity.
This is probably really confusing and the idea itself is rather controversial. It's more clear and defined in my mind, but of course, it is nearly impossible to form into words. So, rather than trying to explain it further, I'm going to leave it up to you and your opinions of it. I'd love to hear them. [:
Sounds like it's going to be interesting! What questions are you trying to provoke? Then again thats my job i guess as the viewer to figure it out. ha ha.
ReplyDeleteThis proposal sounds like a good start, but I wonder if - as you suggest - the installation might be slightly confusing. I am struck that the representative of science here is both outnumbered and in the dark. Given all the historical baggage of "light" equalling truth, is there not a danger that someone might mis-read your point? I wonder if the same idea might be more strongly presented with other representations of a scientific worldview, or a stronger reversal of the typical presentation of the religious items. Are there other items at the museum that could represent a scientific worldview? What if all the paintings were jammed into the backseat of the futuristic and scientific looking Tatra car? Or, maybe other technological elements from the collection - telephones, etc - could be worked in?
ReplyDeleteYeah. I kind of got stuck with this one. Thanks for the suggestions!
ReplyDeleteAm I allowed to edit this? xD
As far as I am concerned, if you want to re-work your idea based on suggestions and present a new-and-improved version for us to consider, you should go ahead. I am always glad to see students thinking more about their ideas.
ReplyDelete