Exhibition: Next

Catalog description

Exhibition: Next is an exploration and observation of the fields of exhibition design and museum study. This class will explore how emerging and interactive technologies can be applied to a museum to enhance visitors’ experiences. The class discusses exhibition design, museum technologies, curatorial practices, art history, and studio art approaches. What is the definition of a museum today and how should it be experienced? What is the role of a museum in contemporary society? What is the social value of a museum nowadays? How does it engage with the audiences of tomorrow? Students will explore various museums, spanning from visiting local museums to browsing online museums. Taking specific questions upon each visit, students will write a trip report to reflect their observation in the museum from a unique and critical perspective. The research component is embedded throughout the semester, so students will propose a research topic at the beginning of the course. Then, they will start collecting materials, building objects, designing experiences, and writing a manifesto for their research project for the final exhibition. If possible, all assignments that serve the research topic can be curated in the final exhibition. After the midterm, the instructor will initiate a collaboration with a local organization to assign students a design challenge working in groups. By the end of the semester, the class will present a group show for students’ final project in a gallery space. Prerequisite: Interaction Lab Fulfillment: IMA elective; IMB major IMA/IMB elective.