Storytelling and Museums
In the Amy Hollande piece, particularly the third question on how the underserved community can be reached, I really resonated with this notion of creating “a network of museum fragments, located in everyday places like libraries and hospitals, turning common spaces to common good.” It is just at the core of our group project, the pop-up museum. They should be transferable and thus reach a larger audience, and the pop-up museum can be the epitome of that by strategizing to reach the underserved community. The first question centered on the common theme of our first classes, which largely focused on making museums more welcoming. But, as we’ve seen, this isn’t an easy task, and even if done correctly, it won’t guarantee engagement from the target audience, as the author has stated: “However, they all acknowledged that just because we open a door, it doesn’t mean that new and diverse communities will feel welcome.” The second question on how to reach the underserved community did not provide me with enough actionable data. It wasn’t until I reached the third question that I felt the question was posed in a way that allowed the reader to carefully reflect on the ways in which underserved communities can be served and reached.
In the Soraia Ferreira piece, I think Henry Jenkins’s book Convergence of Culture and its definition “integral elements of a fiction get dispersed systematically across multiple delivery channels for the purpose of creating a unified and coordinated entertainment experience.” is similar to our group project. The utilization of a select few works of art and the implementation of microstories along with VR is what creates a unified and coordinated experience where the VR complements the elements of the artwork and immerses the participant.
In the Ellen Lupton piece, I very much entertained the thought of the silence, the break, and the anticipation moments, just like in the rollercoaster experience. I’ve facilitated at a museum, and when I ask a question and don’t get prompt answers, I assure the participants that it’s okay if they don’t feel like sharing, but what’s important about this story is that I was avoiding the silence, which can and should be inherent in the design of museum experiences in many cases. I believe that the engagement in the pop-up museum should allow for moments of silence as well as moments of anticipation as part of the engagement. The experience shouldn’t always be active or indulging; rather, it should provide a space for the participants to enter a deeper state.