REVIEWS

"The Making of a Medieval Book"
J.Paul Getty Museum
Museum Exhibition
August 15 - November 5, 2000

"Making Sense of Modern Art"
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)
Multimedia Web Project
Online debut: October 2000

Two Approaches to Art Education in the Age of Technology
Special to FluidArts by Barbara Lee Williams

In one of its small, light-filled galleries, the Getty Museum has created an intriguing educational display illustrating the making of a medieval manuscript. From the manufacture of vellum out of goatskin and careful demonstrations of manuscript lettering to the creation of precious colors from natural ingredients (saffron flowers for yellow, lapis lazuli for blue, etc.) and the application of gold leaf to the manuscript pages, it is a art-making story of immediacy and innate drama. Two vividly disparate books represent the finished product: a small lady's prayer book from Prague (ca. 1470-80) and a large, leather-bound German bible (ca. 1450). If, on the day of my visit, the evocative, self-explanatory exhibit attracted more adults than children, this seemed a vivid testament to both the lure of illustrated books, and the universal desire to understand the greater human context of works of art.

Indeed, the exhibition's only shortcoming is its limited ambition, for several significant questions are left unanswered. Who authorized and paid for the creation of these works? How were they used? Who exactly were the artists? How were they trained and selected? Was theirs an anonymous art or were they celebrated among their colleagues and patrons? Such questions are inevitable when confronted with this colorful display. Indeed, the Getty opens the door to these queries twice, first, in the small exhibit's reference to the manuscript artist(s) as being either male or female, and, again, in the exhibition's accompanying text, "Margurite makes a Book," (penned by art historian Bruce Robertson, and evidently intended for children under 12) which also suggests that in the Middle Ages women might have created such art. The Getty exhibit is a radiant and thoughtful gift to the public, but intellectually it is pitched too low; by providing limited information about the context of medieval manuscripts the curators missed an opportunity to tell a richer, and more complex historical story. Hopefully, future 'educational' efforts will not underestimate the audience: the Getty should aim higher and let that audience -- however young -- rise to the occasion.

In bold methodological contrast, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art's online multimedia project, "Making Sense of Modern Art" (eventually to be released as a CD-ROM) uses technology to explain modern and contemporary artistic movements, styles and individual works by artists ranging from Marcel Duchamp to Bill Viola. The site's lucid texts, vivid images and ease of use should especially appeal to its youthful target audience. Moreover, if this online project lacks the tactile pleasures of the Getty book exhibit, its use of technology is simple yet inspired, especially the adjustable camera that allows visitors to zoom in and to explore multiple aspects of the works of art. [This is especially effective with sculptural pieces like Louise Bourgeois's huge, wicked cluster of metal spiders (The Nest, 1994).] The content of the program is multi-level ranging from a comparative timeline and 'frequently asked questions' [e.g. "How (and why) is language used in art?"] to discussions of more complex issues such as the definition of originality or the significance of manifestos. However, the program's greatest art historical gift may well be its revelatory -- and often humorous -- oral histories. Such histories are, of course, highly subjective, yet what could be more illuminating and humane than Robert Rauschenberg recounting his trepidation at the thought of erasing one of William DeKooning's precious drawings?

Wisely, SFMOMA plans to add depth rather than breadth to this project. Ideally, such an educational program will illuminate and intrigue its audience, ultimately luring them into the museum where they can confront the actual works of art.

Despite their diversity in approach, these efforts by SFMOMA and the Getty reveal a shared commitment to education as an essential, vibrant aspect of today's art museums. Both the modest museum exhibit and the multimedia program celebrate the beauty and craftsmanship of art while placing it within an evocative human and historical context. Paintings, sculpture and hand-crafted books are seen as characteristic of a specific time and place while remaining timeless - and inspiring - products of human labor and imagination.

Barbara Lee Williams is an art critic in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is also Vice Chairman of the Governing Board of Leonardo/ISAST (International Society of Art Science and Technology).

Photos © SFMOMA, used with permission.