Yet Again, Štyrský
The going-away festivities continued for a leisurely brunch and trip to the Štyrský exhibition. It was nice to get in one last omelet at Radost.
My companions seemed to enjoy the Štyrský show a good deal, apart from Shawn, who decided that Štyrský is derivative and not as interesting as Toyen. Alex and Hubert had numerous questions about the works as we made our way along, which prompted one of the guards to come over and tell us to be quiet. I wouldn't have been at all surprised if she had been worried that we were too close to the art, as at times one or another person's fingers got pretty near, but that didn't seem to be of the slightest interest to her; the important thing was that we were supposed to keep our voices down. Well, I knew that some people regard museums as a form of sacred space, but I thought this was taking the concept a bit far, especially in an exhibition devoted to a surrealist who made insulting collages about the holy family and the "pope of Czech literature." Julia H. (Alex's former roommate) suggested that perhaps this was because the guard in question was in charge of guarding the pornographic room, although I'm not sure whether Julia thought this job had unhinged the woman or what. We weren't in her special room, although she wasn't very happy when we went into her room somewhat later and discussed what we saw in there too.
I depart for London tomorrow morning...
My companions seemed to enjoy the Štyrský show a good deal, apart from Shawn, who decided that Štyrský is derivative and not as interesting as Toyen. Alex and Hubert had numerous questions about the works as we made our way along, which prompted one of the guards to come over and tell us to be quiet. I wouldn't have been at all surprised if she had been worried that we were too close to the art, as at times one or another person's fingers got pretty near, but that didn't seem to be of the slightest interest to her; the important thing was that we were supposed to keep our voices down. Well, I knew that some people regard museums as a form of sacred space, but I thought this was taking the concept a bit far, especially in an exhibition devoted to a surrealist who made insulting collages about the holy family and the "pope of Czech literature." Julia H. (Alex's former roommate) suggested that perhaps this was because the guard in question was in charge of guarding the pornographic room, although I'm not sure whether Julia thought this job had unhinged the woman or what. We weren't in her special room, although she wasn't very happy when we went into her room somewhat later and discussed what we saw in there too.
I depart for London tomorrow morning...
posted by Karla at 10:03 PM
3 Comments:
All I can think of is the 70s TV show, Štyrský and Hutch...
(Sorry...)
It is annoying that conversation is discouraged. Magda and I had a conversation about cell phone use in museums. She thinks its silly they discourage it, but really I think that should be enforced. Some of the guards are quite aggressive. When we were at the Styrsky show, the guard was criticising people for taking photos, and then came and cooed over Dominik.
As to the contrast with Styrsky's personality, well its in a museum now. I remember being in the Pompidou Center where they ahd an exhibit of Fluxus works that the artist intended to be manipulated by the viewer. I touched it and the guard started yelling at me. I tried to explain it was the artists original intention for me to touch the work. The guard didnt care one jot. The art has been enshrined in the museum, or mausoleum of culture.
I don't feel strongly against cell phones in museums, mainly because I don't think very many people talk on cell phones in this setting (and I've been ushered out by a guard for answering a call quietly when people were talking loudly around me). I do think people should avoid initiating calls or having loud conversations on cell phones while in the museum.
The policy on conversation is entirely different in London, I might note.
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