The book Gathering of Strangers: Why Museums Matter by Tate Director Maria Balshaw, embraces a transformative vision for museums now and into the future that is translatable far beyond the prestigious quarters of Tate’s highly esteemed museums and galleries.
In sharing her ambitions for a more relevant, sustainable and diverse gallery model, Balshaw acknowledges that her objectives are by no means unexplored in the broader museum world, as she wryly comments “in the span of my own 20 years working in museums, I have noticed that there seems to have been an ability to diagnose the issue but not change the outcome.”
To be fair, as any museum professional will agree, the world’s most revered and dynamic national and international galleries are akin to slow-moving trains when it comes to introducing changes in programming, values and operational modes. But, as Balshaw contends, today’s institutions are markedly more engaged with a multifaceted public that at any time in the past. And, out of the inevitable dissent reflected in conversations among the “gathering of strangers” represented by today’s audiences, Balshaw is not without hope for museums of the future.
To start, the elusive goal of diversification requires structural changes so that the voices of Black, Indigenous and other under-represented populations are heard at every level of the organization. Other than in sporadic bumps in attendance, the inclusion of these groups through temporary programming alone has not resulted a significant uptick in diversification.
This strategy should also impact the range of new objects and installations entering museum collections, as items valued for their cultural and local significance gradually begin to share the space with cherished items within the western canon.
Balshaw also questions the “blockbuster” model which emerged in the 1950s and 1960s, and has since become a distinguishing feature of most major galleries. While not denying the rewards that usually accompany exhibitions of heightened scale and ambition, Balshaw proffers that exhibitions dedicated to a museum’s locality, in terms of stories, geography and historical events, can be a compelling focus, and one that may leave the viewer with deeper impressions than a crowded blockbuster hit. On this note, Balshaw contends that post-covid audiences are much less tolerant of the congested viewing arrangements that usually accompany high-volume visitor attractions,
Finally, there is the large and unwieldy subject of climate change and the reality that rigorous environmental conditioning continues to prevail in most major museums and galleries, regardless of the relaxed, “greener” protocols shared in lofty mission statements.
With characteristic frankness, Balshaw comments: “Ultimately the message we are still sending is that the conservation of our objects is more important that the conservation of the planet.” Emphasizing the urgency around her call for action, Balshaw shares her personal view that “this is the area where I feel most strongly about the need for change within the museum profession.”
A recommended read for all museum professionals and enthusiasts, Balshaw’s at times radical reconsideration of the role of galleries concludes that growth — in terms of facilities, collections and visitor numbers — is no longer a byword for “good.” ■
Gathering of Strangers: Why Museums Matter by Maria Balshaw will be in Canadian bookstores in fall 2024
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