the fall of the expert curator, the rise of...

In the context of Obama's new health care reform, I have been thinking a lot about oppositional sides and varying perspectives. One side sees their privileges revoked and their choices stripped, fearing the fall of quality care amongst the rise of Socialism. Then the other side sees the detrimental and unfair insurance costs, desire a platform for social justice, and value basic human rights. The answer for the universal question, "How can we make it better, if this is what we have?" - depends greatly on values from both sides and where the side is viewing the issue/problem!

The museum world is not that much different. There are always and will always be opposing sides. Two main oppositions is the traditional role of the curator versus the push for public accessibility and influence. It's interesting because each side has their definition and standard of a museum and what and how it inhabits (the exhibition). The way it should be.
Like healthcare.
So there is tons of fear involved. One side fears that museums are turning into a messy public playground lacking in quality exhibitions and content. The other side fears that museums arn't evolving with the needs of society and are remaining as "elitist anachronisms" (p. 89).

"The historical circumstances surrounding curators'...challenge to their expertise have led to a collapse of the historical hierarchy within the museum, to renewed calls for general public access to exhibitions, and more broadly, to a reorientation of the museum's mission from objects to audiences" (Weil, 2003).

This is great. Why? Because low and behold, comes the rise of Education in the Art Museum! YAY!! Because no matter what side you're on, everyone needs us now! "As cultural institutions direct more attention to the needs of their audiences, art educators must address how and where subject expertise is valued" (p. 89).

This is great. Why? Because it enables educators to work with curatorial colleagues on a more significant level, shaping museum practice and bringing together the opposing sides. This also disseminates the hierarchical model of curators controlling and leading the intellectual language to the educators and than down the public. The new model enables the public to be part of the curatorial conversation, "opening up the exhibition to those outside the discipline of art history" (p. 91).

It can also be argued from the Traditionalists standpoint that the shift in the museum model is not necessarily good. However, "the most important factors in this reordering of priorities, though, were the economic pressures exerted on the art museum" (p. 93). A need and increase in government funding resulted in the need to serve the general public.

Curators can still continue with their expertise and engagement in art history and fancy collections, BUT "the skills involved in the reconfiguration of the museum in the 21st century - understanding and respecting the knowledge of the museum audience and collaboration - reside in the portfolio of the museum educator" (Zolberg, 1994).

But we already knew that ;)