Mastering Museums

By Kalina Rabb

How artistic institutions can help people feel more connected to themselves and each other

María Emilia Fernández, assistant curator at the Visual Arts Center in Austin, said that art has always been a fundamental part of human society, allowing people to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and others. Austin is a very artistic city, rich with culture and creativity.

Museums, galleries, and other exhibitions have a large influence on the art scene of the city, and these places can provide an area for artists, those who enjoy art, collectors, and passerby alike.

“I think that when you go into a museum and you see a beautiful work of art or a work of art that you find disturbing,” Fernández said. “It can be anything that really moves you.

You can profoundly hate it, even. It’s teaching you something about you that you then get to carry with you once you leave the museum.”

Fernández said that spaces like these can also be intimidating, as many are conditioned to being quiet or thinking that they need to love everything they see, or that if they don’t understand a work, then they might not be smart enough to be there.

“I think that we’re very conditioned to see and behave in certain ways inside museums and galleries, people tend to be quiet. It’s not a space for children, it’s not a space oftentimes for people in wheelchairs. Like it’s really dictating the kind of viewing for a model spectator, which we can begin to question that as well,” she said.

We can definitely develop a companionship with works of art, and they’ll begin to tell more about us than we might think.” unapproachable.

Part of it is knowing when and how to engage with people and when to allow them to view installations on their own.

“Maybe you have no idea what this is about, but can we tell you something about it that makes it more interesting, but we also don’t want to hit you over the head and force you,” said Edwards. “It’s always a dance. How do you lure people in, let them enjoy it, but then be there as a resource if they have more questions?”

Explaining pieces to adults is different than for kids, said Edwards. One approach to this issue is used by the UMLAUF. They have one tour guide that entertains and explains for the adults and another that works with kids and asks questions that allow them to interpret their own meaning from each sculpture.

Another factor is how people have been raised to interpret and ask questions about their surroundings. As Fernández said,

“It’s just striking to see that younger kids have a way better grasp on how to ask questions from true curiosity and then as adults kind of grow up,” Fernández said, “it’s as though the fear of saying something wrong has completely taken over completely.” or being allowed to scribble with colors, said Fernández. Through art, a kid learns about everything around them, and if they aren’t able to think creatively, problem-solving becomes extremely difficult.

“Art literally encompasses everything: history, philosophy, religion, science and technology,” said Edwards.

Fernández and current executive director and curator at the UMLAUF Sculpture Garden, Katie Edwards, said that many places, such as the Visual Arts Center and the UMLAUF Garden, are attempting to break down barriers like those that make these spaces seem so

Edwards, too, believes that many people avoid asking questions that might make them seem dumb or ignorant.

Children ask many questions because that’s what they need to do to learn, and even if people don’t notice it at first, many children are taught using art, such as picture books, paintings,

“Because of the trajectory of art now, so many artists are working exclusively in STEAM, in science, technology, engineering, art and mechanics. So it really is the backbone of everything.”

Edwards continued that creativity promotes not only problem-solving, but also companionship, confidence, and open expression. Indecisiveness can stem from insecurity and fear, and more creativity in a place can help to make the people there more confident and open-minded, which can lead to more peaceful lives for everyone. Someone can look at a piece of art and think to themself that they are human, the person who made that piece is human, and therefore they can look past the exterior of the work and feel humans. And sometimes language doesn’t quite fit it,” said Public Relations and Media Manager of the Blanton Museum of Art, Katie Bruton. With everything going on in the world right now, art and innovative thinking are needed now more than ever, said Edwards. Art also provides humans with rich emotional experiences, and many are drawn to visual arts, music, theater, poetry, and more. Fernández added that seeing and interacting with these pieces allows people to think from new perspectives and form new ideas. It’s also subjective, meaning nearly anything can be art, she said.

“For me, it’s almost as though the importance of art is not what happens inside galleries and museums, but what you get to take away and then keep with you outside,” she said. “If that means really appreciating the way that light comes through in the morning in your room, that’s already an aesthetic experience that can move things within you without the need to be standing in front of a Van Gogh painting.”

Bruton believes that creativity can also allow for a release of stress, and viewing art can make someone feel more at ease. It also encourages thinking “outside the box”, which can bring about solutions and ideas that otherwise would not have existed, said Edwards.

“I think creativity allows us also to think about things differently, not just the way that we’re told, which is really the hardest, hardest thing, because we go through school and we go to museums and we get taught what things are supposed to be and how we’re supposed to behave,” said Fernández. “And this kind of schooling is great for knowledge, but sometimes I think it’s a harder job to try to think, how are we going to be happy?”

Edwards said that galleries can also make people share their views as they stand in front of a piece. One person may find it wonderful and another may find it bland, then they can explain their perspectives, and therefore learn more about each other, she said.

“We are a sculpture garden of figurative art, which a lot of people have very strong opinions about, and they will say it immediately,” said Edwards. “If we were abstract art, that would also be a really good telltale. Like, what is that? My child could paint that. Think about it. So it works both ways. People go, oh, I love this. This is so beautiful. This nude woman

So it really is provocative, which it should be.”

A person’s subconscious plays heavily into their reactions. “I think this is the way art works,” said Edwards. “It affects things we can’t even identify.”

Edwards also believes that art allows for many more opportunities to understand other people and their viewpoints. Architecture, clothing, advertising, style choice, interior design, teaching, and even technology is dependent on artists and other creative minds, she said.

“It teaches you a lot about emotion. With art, you get to experience something else, and you get to experience someone else’s emotions. … in many ways, it’s their way of seeing the world,” said Bruton.

In such a polarized world, humans need to be creative now more than ever. Art is a medium that allows for communication with few or without words as long as people agree that they want to try and converse through it. Creators often put aspects of their surroundings into their pieces, and many artworks can transcend language and belief barriers and bring people together.

“I’m still struck by people who have profound reactions to some of the sculptures in the garden that I wouldn’t have thought of because I see them all the time. But perhaps they happen to be Catholic and they are really strongly moved by the Pietà. Perhaps they are secular and they are really moved by the Pietà because of the human emotion. You don’t have to know the religious story to see that.”