As I have continued to ponder the different ways in which I can research art museums, I have shifted from looking at the history of the institution, to the complex relationships between museum and artist. Using the Impressionists as an example, this group was so ignored by the French Academy that they eventually held their own Salons, creating a new type of "museum" experience. While this remained the norm for a short time, artists considered to be controversial eventually found their way back into the museum space. It is this point that I intend to delve further into as I am curious to understand the intricacies of a relationship dependent on an institution and an individual coming together. As an art museum must continue to generate income, they must consider the fact that the public may wish to see art by those who have opposed the institution in the past- meaning that concessions must be made.
While there is much to talk about within this subject, it is the idea of what and how these two parties concede to each other that is of great interest to me. Will a museum be judged for inviting an artist considered "controversial" to its members? Will the artist be considered a "sell-out" for showing their work within a formal institution? It is these relationships and real life examples that I hope to examine and reflect upon, as a way to understand these give-and-take scenarios.
Research Question: I want to study institutional showings of controversial artists, to find out how they interact with the art museum, so I can help others to understand the intricacies of the relationship between both parties, and how each must concede to the other.
Courtney, the idea of concession is an interesting one. It becomes something of a give and take. Since you are interested in business, you might look at the work of Adam Grant (https://www.adamgrant.net/give-and-take) who writes about this phenomenon from a business perspective. As to the artists, will you focus on one artist's path and showings at a number of institutions (like Ai Wei Wei)? Or, will you focus on one institution (such as Guggenheim) and how they showcase a number of artists whose works surface varying levels of controversy?
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