Up until the end of last year it was forbidden for visitors to take photographs at Sweden's Moderna Museet. But now the same practice is positively encouraged: in 2011 photographic images from the museum's collection have replaced all other art forms in the gallery spaces. Visitors are invited to add to this photofest by submitting their snapshots to the museum. These are then vetted before taking pride of place in front of Andy Warhol's cow wallpaper.
But traces of the abandoned rule banning photography are still in evidence. Behind the ticket desk can be seen an icon of a crossed-out camera. This is hard to remove: it's integrated into the Barbara Kruger artwork that currently covers the walls of the foyer.
The image accompanying this blog posting was taken in late December 2010, just after the ban on the public taking photos was lifted. It shows an easily overlooked "modified readymade". On close inspection it becomes apparent that the sign has been carefully altered. Artfully drawn lines radiate from the camera such that the sign was now intended to mean that photographs could be taken, only without a flash.
I wonder where this sign is now? Has it been preserved and accessioned into the museum collection? Just in case this did not happen, I've opted to document it here (click the image above). The photographed sign is a little parasite pointing out the arbitrary nature of museums. This capriciousness isn't very apparent, however, because their subjective and rule-bound nature is disavowed by a carefully maintained mantle of objectivity and properness.
Some simple questions:
If it is now alright to take photographs at Moderna Museet, why was it banned previously? What did the injunction achieve? Who invoked it and who revoked it - and for what reasons? Why was the rule change not even mentioned? Might the ban be reintroduced one day?
_________
Supplemental (03/09/2011)
The sign relating to no-flash photography has now been upgraded to a proper-looking laminated panel:
But traces of the abandoned rule banning photography are still in evidence. Behind the ticket desk can be seen an icon of a crossed-out camera. This is hard to remove: it's integrated into the Barbara Kruger artwork that currently covers the walls of the foyer.
The image accompanying this blog posting was taken in late December 2010, just after the ban on the public taking photos was lifted. It shows an easily overlooked "modified readymade". On close inspection it becomes apparent that the sign has been carefully altered. Artfully drawn lines radiate from the camera such that the sign was now intended to mean that photographs could be taken, only without a flash.
I wonder where this sign is now? Has it been preserved and accessioned into the museum collection? Just in case this did not happen, I've opted to document it here (click the image above). The photographed sign is a little parasite pointing out the arbitrary nature of museums. This capriciousness isn't very apparent, however, because their subjective and rule-bound nature is disavowed by a carefully maintained mantle of objectivity and properness.
Some simple questions:
If it is now alright to take photographs at Moderna Museet, why was it banned previously? What did the injunction achieve? Who invoked it and who revoked it - and for what reasons? Why was the rule change not even mentioned? Might the ban be reintroduced one day?
_________
Supplemental (03/09/2011)
The sign relating to no-flash photography has now been upgraded to a proper-looking laminated panel:
Dos-and-don’ts at Moderna Museet, 30/08/2011
