Description
Book SynopsisOver the last two decades, the encyclopedic museum has been criticized and praised, constantly discussed, and often in the news. Encyclopedic museums are a phenomenon of Europe and the United States, and their locations and mostly Eurocentric collections have in more recent years drawn attention to what many see as bias. Debates on provenance in general, cultural origins, and restitutions of African heritage have exerted pressure on encyclopedic museums, and indeed on all matter of museums. Is there still a place for an institution dedicated to gathering, preserving, and showcasing all the world's cultures? Donatien Grau's conversations with international arts officials, museum leaders, artists, architects, and journalists go beyond the history of the encyclopedic format and the last decades' issues that have burdened existing institutions. Are encyclopedic museums still relevant? What can they contribute when the Internet now seems to offer the greater encyclopedia? How important is it for us to have in-person access to objects from all over the world that can directly articulate something to us about humanity? The fresh ideas and nuances of new voices on the core principles important to museums in Dakar, Abu Dhabi, and Mumbai complement some of the world's arts leaders from European and American institutions-resulting in some revealing and unexpected answers. Every interviewee offers differing views, making for exciting, stimulating reading.
Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgments Introduction The Encyclopedic Museum: A Catchphrase, a Concept, a History Donatien Grau Part 1. Origins and Practice of Encyclopedic Museums 1. Marc Fumaroli 2. Partha Chatterjee 3. Krzysztof Pomian 4. Mikhail Piotrovsky 5. Philippe de Montebello 6. Grayson Perry 7. Thomas Campbell 8. Kaywin Feldman 9. Mari Carmen Ramirez Part 2. Encyclopedic Museums across the Globe 10. Irina Bokova 11. Fiammetta Rocco 12. Zaki Nusseibeh 13. Michael Govan 14. Max Hollein 15. Sabyasachi Mukherjee 16. Henri Loyrette 17. George Abungu 18. Hamady Bocoum 19. Amit Sood Part 3. Methodologies and Potentials of the Encyclopedic Museum 20. James Cuno 21. Jean Nouvel 22. Benedicte Savoy 23. Kavita Singh 24. Anthony Appiah 25. Homi Bhabha 26. Camille Henrot 27. Massimiliano Gioni 28. Bachir Souleymane Diagne Afterword The Encyclopedic Museum: Some Thoughts from 2019 Mary E. Miller Biographical Note on the Editor Index
