Detroit – still alive

Community gathering

Now the sweet bells of mercy
Drift through the evening trees
Young men on the corner
Like scattered leaves
The boarded up windows
The empty streets
While my brother’s down on his knees
My city of ruins
My city of ruins
Come on rise up! Come on rise up!

Bruce Springsteen

With publications such as “Ruins of Detroit” og “Detroit Disassembled”, the Motor City has become quite en vogue lately photographically. Admittedly, the ruins from the city’s grand industrial past are spectacular.  Especially when you, as the authors of the above mentioned books, have had – or simply taken – the opportunity to climb in behind the plywood barriers and barbed wire, to take a look inside.

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Occasional Museum Picture #7

The Fabricca della Ruota used to be a textile mill, situated deep into a remote north Italian valley. Today, it’s an industrial museum – quite small, but very beautiful, in its exterior as well as in its exhibitions. The peculiarities of industrial work life – such as time discipline – are depicted through a spectacular, … Read more

Occasional Museum Picture #6

According to sociologists, such as Anthony Giddens and others, modernity is characterized by its reflexivity. Here is a self-reflexive museum for you: the Cité de Sciences in Parc de la Villette, Paris, reflecting itself in the silver dome of its own IMAX movie theatre. To be honest, I was a bit underwhelmed by the science … Read more

The museum as Public Domain

Today I attended the conference ”Sharing is caring – digital cultural heritage for all”. Lots of interesting presentations and discussions about how museums can – and should – use digital media, to make their collections more accessible, and to turn their audience into participants.

To do this we of course have to overcome technical obstacles. But probably even more organizational and even mental obstacles. And then there are all the issues raised by copyright and digital rights management. During the discussions of concepts such as Creative Commons and Public Domain, I got a sense of déjà vu. Suddenly it occurred to me: the museum as institution is inherently Public Domain.

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Occasional Museum Picture #5

Vaserely was born in Hungary, but lived most of his life in France, so it’s not surprising that his museum is to be found in Aix-en-Provence. Even if you’re not into op-art – which I’m not particularly – the building and the artwork form a fascinating gesamtkunstwerk. I like this particular picture, because of the … Read more

Occasional Museum Picture #3

What’s in a life? Well, medicine, for instance. Like in this fascinating installation by Pharmacopoeia in British Museum. It shows the number of pills, swallowed through lifetime, by too different persons – supplemented by pictures, letters and other reminiscences of their lives. A moving and thought-provoking cross-over between art and ethnography.  

Occasional Museum Picture #2

Gazing through a replica of one of Tycho Brahes instruments on the island of Ven. The Tycho Brahe museum is not necessarily exceptional, but it’s nice and easy going – like the rest of this small island, which is sort of a condensed version of any tourist’s dream of the Swedish countryside. Take the ferry … Read more

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