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Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History Criticized for Lack of Curation
In his latest column, Bruce Bratton discusses feedback from historians that the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History (MAH) has lost its focus on art and history. "Historians have told me many times in the last two and a half years that there are no longer any qualified historians cataloguing and curating and handling our MAH’s collections. Future generations will suffer from this. Concerned community members are wondering why the MAH Board of Directors have allowed this hobby-circus to take over MAH," Bratton said.
From Bruce Bratton's September 18-24 column:
MAH’s NEWEST MEANING…Mostly Attendance and Happenings. Other folks among the numerous local residents sugggested Mostly Attendance and Hobbies. Then there’s Mediocre, Humdrum and all kinds of clever ways to re-name our gone to hell Museum of Art and History. We’ve lost the “Museum”, “The Art”, and “The History” concepts of what was once a professional institution with professional standards. The actual mission statement of MAH has changed and now we have what should be called our “second community center”. MAH Board members have been quitting over this, professional historians, curators and staff members have either left or are completely devastated by the community circus that Nina Simon has created in the two and a half years she’s been executive director.
The Sunday August 11 New York Times had an article titled High Culture Goes Hands-On. (Read it here: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/11/opinion/sunday/high-culture-goes-hands-on.html ) Lots of people in the Museum business read it, and responded. Nina Simon did too….she didn’t like the article.
It says that museums across the country are going for attendance numbers and crowds and are sacrificing traditional experiences with history and with art to bring in large crowds that then are used as proof to justify grants, and larger sums of monies to subsidize these halls of hobbies. (Yes MAH exhibited my collection of toothpaste, Don Lane’s collection of eggs, Lance Linares collection of bottle caps….and that helps make the point….we fell for the Attendance and Hobbies part of the new name.
Remember back in the day when you could sit or stand and just think about the art pieces you were able to see in person? Think how many thousands/millions of students and artists were influenced by seeing circulating masterpieces or from the local collections…not now. Consider the impact on the next generation of art and history-lovers; the kids. Where can we take our kids now to learn how to experience a real museum; a place that challenges the attention span a little? There are experiential activities everywhere, as I mentioned but the former MAH was our only real museum environment that offered art in a museum context; a respectful place that created the sense that what you’re seeing is important, and worthy of your consideration. Not just something you whip through as you’re doing activities.
The new mission statement is so stunning in its exclusion of any cultural references that you should read it… From the website; “Our mission is to ignite shared experiences and unexpected connections”. What does that mean?? Where’s History, where’s Art, where’s Tradition, most important where’s any statement about inspiration and education???
Historians have told me many times in the last two and a half years that there are no longer any qualified historians cataloguing and curating and handling our MAH’s collections. Future generations will suffer from this. Concerned community members are wondering why the MAH Board of Directors have allowed this hobby-circus to take over MAH. The NY Times article said museums justify the numbers game because they claim the newest art equals experiences. Is it fear of getting involved? Is it just let Nina do her thing, it’ll work out…a hands off approach?
We’ve gained a second London Nelson Community Center (where all this show biz & hobby stuff should take place) and we’ve lost a vibrant and rewarding Art & History Museum.
http://brattononline.com/
MAH’s NEWEST MEANING…Mostly Attendance and Happenings. Other folks among the numerous local residents sugggested Mostly Attendance and Hobbies. Then there’s Mediocre, Humdrum and all kinds of clever ways to re-name our gone to hell Museum of Art and History. We’ve lost the “Museum”, “The Art”, and “The History” concepts of what was once a professional institution with professional standards. The actual mission statement of MAH has changed and now we have what should be called our “second community center”. MAH Board members have been quitting over this, professional historians, curators and staff members have either left or are completely devastated by the community circus that Nina Simon has created in the two and a half years she’s been executive director.
The Sunday August 11 New York Times had an article titled High Culture Goes Hands-On. (Read it here: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/11/opinion/sunday/high-culture-goes-hands-on.html ) Lots of people in the Museum business read it, and responded. Nina Simon did too….she didn’t like the article.
It says that museums across the country are going for attendance numbers and crowds and are sacrificing traditional experiences with history and with art to bring in large crowds that then are used as proof to justify grants, and larger sums of monies to subsidize these halls of hobbies. (Yes MAH exhibited my collection of toothpaste, Don Lane’s collection of eggs, Lance Linares collection of bottle caps….and that helps make the point….we fell for the Attendance and Hobbies part of the new name.
Remember back in the day when you could sit or stand and just think about the art pieces you were able to see in person? Think how many thousands/millions of students and artists were influenced by seeing circulating masterpieces or from the local collections…not now. Consider the impact on the next generation of art and history-lovers; the kids. Where can we take our kids now to learn how to experience a real museum; a place that challenges the attention span a little? There are experiential activities everywhere, as I mentioned but the former MAH was our only real museum environment that offered art in a museum context; a respectful place that created the sense that what you’re seeing is important, and worthy of your consideration. Not just something you whip through as you’re doing activities.
The new mission statement is so stunning in its exclusion of any cultural references that you should read it… From the website; “Our mission is to ignite shared experiences and unexpected connections”. What does that mean?? Where’s History, where’s Art, where’s Tradition, most important where’s any statement about inspiration and education???
Historians have told me many times in the last two and a half years that there are no longer any qualified historians cataloguing and curating and handling our MAH’s collections. Future generations will suffer from this. Concerned community members are wondering why the MAH Board of Directors have allowed this hobby-circus to take over MAH. The NY Times article said museums justify the numbers game because they claim the newest art equals experiences. Is it fear of getting involved? Is it just let Nina do her thing, it’ll work out…a hands off approach?
We’ve gained a second London Nelson Community Center (where all this show biz & hobby stuff should take place) and we’ve lost a vibrant and rewarding Art & History Museum.
http://brattononline.com/
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