Description
Book SynopsisInge Daniels is Associate Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Oxford, UK.
Trade ReviewThe text and illustration of this book are attractive, even beautiful. The writing is very clear, and the material on the variety of visitors and their responses is both original and rich. * George E. Marcus, University of California, Irvine, USA *
Given that exhibitions are such a constant presence in our contemporary world, it is surprising how rarely we concern ourselves with what they actually do. But Inge Daniels, a thoughtful, scholarly and responsible anthropologist, asked - what are the consequences of an exhibition? If we provide more opportunities for interaction, and more fully engage the senses of our visitors, what then will they take away from this experience? The major contribution of this book is to show how anthropology itself, when astutely deployed, can provide a means to answer fundamental questions that apply to all exhibitions. * Daniel Miller, UCL, UK *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction: What Are Exhibitions For? SPREAD 1: The AHJ booklet: A practical tool to study exhibition visitors Chapter 1. Representational and Performative Knowledge SPREAD 2: Mike - 'There is a connecting memory in my feet' Chapter 2. Photography, Exhibition Design and Atmosphere SPREAD 3: Sue - 'Photography students have been very surprised to learn that what appears to be an actual window is in fact an illusion' Chapter 3. Similarities and Stereotypes SPREAD 4: Jen - 'I was very interested in anime and manga' Chapter 4. To Learn or Not to Learn SPREAD 5: Natasha - 'And I have been putting them in the dishwasher' SPREAD 6: Natalia - 'It's in our shower because it's very useful; Molly - 'It is something I found and can't give away' Chapter 5. Photography, Performance and Play SPREAD 7: Ali - 'I never found England a very interesting place' Conclusion: Exhibitions as Technologies of the Imagination? Notes References
