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AftertheWhiteCube
HalFosteraskswhatartmuseumsarefor
TateModernII,designedbyHerzoganddeMeuron,isnowrisingontheThames.Onthe
HudsonthenewWhitneyMuseum,conceivedbyRenzoPiano,willopenitsdoorsinMay.
GuidedbyDillerScofidio+Renfro,theMuseumofModernArtisplanninganother
expansion(thelastonewasjusttenyearsago),andtheMetropolitanMuseumofArtwill
transformitsmodernwingbytheendofthedecade.IdrawtheseexamplesfromLondon
andNewYork,skippingoverthemuseumboomunderwayintheMiddleEast,Chinaand
elsewhere.Butallinstitutionsthataimtoencompassmodernandcontemporaryartface
similarproblems,andnotallofthesearepoliticalandeconomicinnature.[*]
Thefirstdilemmaisthevarietyofscalesofthisartandthedifferentspacesneededtoexhibit
it.Theinitialsettingformodernpaintingandsculpture,producedasittypicallywasforthe
market,wasthe19thcenturyinterior,usuallythebourgeoisapartment,andearlymuseums
forthisartwereoftenmadeupofrefurbishedroomsofasimilarsort.Thismodelwas
graduallydisplacedbyanother:asmodernartbecamemoreabstractandmoreautonomous,
itcalledoutforaspacethatmirroreditshomelesscondition,aspacethatcametobeknown
asthewhitecube.Inturnthismodelcameunderpressureasthesizeofambitiouswork
expandedafterWorldWarTwofromthevastcanvasesofJacksonPollock,Barnett
NewmanandotherstotheserialobjectsofMinimalistslikeCarlAndre,DonaldJuddand
DanFlavin,andontothesitespecificandpostmediuminstallationsofsubsequentartists
fromJamesTurrelltoOlafurEliasson.Toholdtogetherthelargehallsneededfor
contemporaryproductionwiththedelimitedgalleriesformodernistpaintingandsculptureis
noeasytask,asanyvisittoTateModernorMoMAattests.Andtheproblemiscomplicatedby
thefactthatsomenewartdemandsyetanotherkindofspace,anenclosedareadarkenedfor
theprojectionofimagesthathascometobecalledtheblackbox.Finally,asaresultofthe
currentinterestinpresentingperformanceanddanceatmuseums,largeinstitutions
anticipateaneedforstillotherspacestheinitialproposalfortheMoMAexpansionnames
themgreyboxesandartbays.(Iassumetheformerisacrossbetweenawhitecubeanda
blackbox,andthelatterahybridofaperformanceareaandaneventspace,butthatsjusta
guess.)Anymuseumthatintendstoshowarepresentativearrayofmodernand
contemporaryartmustsomehowallowforallthesesettings,anddosoallatonce.

Twofactorswerecentraltotheexpansionofmodernandcontemporaryartmuseums.Inthe
1960s,asindustrybegantocollapseinNewYorkandothercities,manufacturingloftswere
turnedintoinexpensivestudiosbyartistssuchastheMinimalists,inpartsothattheycould
produceworkthatmighttestthelimitsofthewhitecube.Eventually,though,oldindustrial
structures,suchaspowerstations,wererefashionedasnewgalleriesandmuseumsinorder
tocopewiththeincreasedsizeofthisart.Acircularityemerged,ascanbeseenatinstitutions
suchasDia:Beacon,ameccaforMinimalistandPostMinimalistartinupstateNewYork,
whichisanoldNabiscoboxfactorytransformedintoanensembleofvasthallstoencompass
giganticsculpturesbyRichardSerraandothers.Thesecondroadtoexpansionwasmore
direct:thebuildingfromscratchofnewmuseumsasvastcontainersforhugeartwork,as
exemplifiedbyFrankGehrysGuggenheimBilbao.Insomerespectsthisbignessisthe
outcomeofaspaceracebetweenarchitectslikeGehryandartistslikeSerra,andbynowit
seemsalmostnaturaltous.Yetthereisnothingdefinitiveaboutit:wellregardedartistswho
haveemergedoverthelasttwentyyears,suchasPierreHuyghe,RirkritTiravanijaandTino
Sehgalamongmanyothers,dontrequiresuchspace,andinmanywaysrefuseit.(Bigness
hasalsoledtobadbyproductslikeimmenseatria,which,howeverimportanttheyareto
museumsaseventspaces,aredeadlyasartgalleries.)
TheGuggenheimBilbaoistheclearestexampleofathirdproblem,themuseumasicon.
Leadersofadepressedcityoranoverlookedregionwanttoretoolforaneweconomyof
culturaltourism,andbelieveanarchitecturalsymbolthatwillalsoserveasamediaemblem
canhelpthem.Toachievethisiconicity,thechosenarchitectisallowed,evenencouraged,to
modelidiosyncraticshapesaturbanscale,oftennearpoorneighbourhoodsthatarethereby
disrupted,ifnotdisplaced.Somemuseumsbecomesosculpturalthattheartarrivesafterthe
fact,andcanonlyeverbesecondonthebillthisisoftenthecaseattheMaxxi(Museumof
the21stCenturyArts)inRome,aneoFuturistplaitingoflowslungvolumesdesignedby
ZahaHadid.Suchmuseumsmakesuchastrongclaimonourvisualinterestthattheystand
asthedominantworkondisplay,andupstagethearttheyaremeanttopresentthoughitis
tooearlytosay,thismightalsobetheimpressionleftbyTateModernII.Othermuseums
becomesotheatricalthattheartistsfeeltheyhavetorespondtothearchitectureinthefirst
instancethisissometimesthecaseattheInstituteofContemporaryArt,createdbyDiller
Scofidio+RenfroontheBostonharbourfront,soingeniousisitasamachineforseeingand
spectating.Ofcourse,architectsoperateinthevisualarenatoo,andcanhardlybebegrudged
fordoingso,butsometimesanemphasisondesignpowerdistractsfromfundamental
mattersoffunction.InpartthisiswhathappenedattheAmericanFolkArtMuseum,
designedbyTodWilliamsandBillieTsien,inmidtownManhattantoomuchcapitalput
intothearchitecture,notenoughthoughtputintoitsuseandintheenditwasforcedto
sellthebuildingtoMoMAandretreattoitsformerhomeinLincolnSquare(theMaxxifaces
asimilarthreat).
Thequestionoffunctionpointstoafourthproblem,whichisapervasiveuncertaintyabout
whatcontemporaryartisandhowaspacemightcometobeused.Howcanonedesignfor
whatonedoesntreallyknowandcanttrulyanticipate?Asaresultofthisuncertainty,we

havebeguntoseeculturalshedswithlittleapparentprogrammeonesuchstructure,
designedbyDillerScofidio+Renfro,withgreatcanopiesthatwillopenandclosefor
differentevents,isslatedfortheHudsonYardsareaontheWestSideofManhattan.The
logicseemstobetobuildacontainerandthenleaveittoartiststodealwithit,buttheresult
ontheartsideislikelytobeadefaultformofinstallationwork.Meanwhile,onthe
architecturalsidetheprojectionofnewspaceslikegreyboxesandartbaysmightconstrain
theverypracticestheyaimtosupport.Whatseemslikeflexibilitycanendupastheopposite
witnesstheverytallcontemporarygalleriesattheNewMuseumontheLowerEastSide,or
indeedatMoMA,whichoverbearalmostalloftheartplacedthere.Serraproducesgreat
work,tobesure,butthatdoesntmeanitssizeshouldbethestandardmeasureofexhibition
space.
Perhapsthesenewandrenovatedmuseumshaveaprogrammeafterall,amegaprogramme
soobviousthatitgoesunstated:entertainment.Westillliveinaspectaclesocietyour
relianceoninformationhasntalteredourinvestmentinimagesor,tousetheanodyne
phrase,weliveinanexperienceeconomy.Whatrelationdomodernandcontemporaryart
museumshavetoaculturethatsoprizestheentertainmentexperience?Asearlyas1996,
NicholasSerotaframedthedilemmaofmuseumsofmodernartasastarkoption,
experienceorinterpretation,whichmightberephrasedasentertainmentontheoneside
andaestheticcontemplationand/orhistoricalunderstandingontheother.Nearlytwenty
yearslater,however,weneedntbestymiedbythiseither/or.Spectacleisheretostay,atleast
aslongascapitalismis,andmuseumsarepartofitthatsagiven,butforthatveryreasonit
shouldntbeagoal.
Yetformanymuseums,evenonesthatdontdependonticketsales,itisagoal.Thisisevident
fromalltheinstitutionalspacegivenovertoeventrooms,bigstoresandnicerestaurants,but
itisalsosuggestedbytrendsinprogramming.Considertheturntoperformanceanddance,
andtherestagingofhistoricalexamplesofboth,inartmuseumsoverthelastfewyearsthe
MarinaAbramoviretrospectiveatMoMAin2010(includingatenweekspectacleinwhich
shestareddownanyonewhosatoppositeher)isarepresentativeinstance.Thisturncanbe
seennegativelyasaninstitutionalisationofoncealternativepractices,orpositivelyasthe
recoveryofotherwiselostevents(likeindependentfilm,experimentalperformanceanddance
havecometomuseumsinpartbecausetheirownvenueshavefallenonhardtimes).Butthis
doesntexplainthesuddenembraceofliveeventsininstitutionsotherwisededicatedto
inanimateart.Duringthefirstboominmuseumsinpost1989newEurope,RemKoolhaas
remarkedthatsincetheresnotenoughpasttogoaround,itstokenscanonlyriseinvalue.
Today,itseems,theresnotenoughpresenttogoaround:forreasonsthatareobvious
enoughinahypermediatedage,itisingreatdemandtoo,asisanythingthatfeelslike
presence.
Anotherreasonforthisembraceofperformanceeventsisthattheyarethoughttoactivatethe
viewer,whoistherebyassumed,wrongly,tobepassivetobeginwith.Museumstodaycant
seemtoleaveusalonetheypromptandprodusasmanyofusdoourchildren.Andoften

thisactivationhasbecomeanend,notameans:asinthecultureatlarge,communication
andconnectivityarepromotedfortheirownsake,withlittleinterestinthequalityof
subjectivityandsocialityeffected.Allthishelpstovalidatethemuseum,tooverseersand
onlookersalike,asrelevant,vitalorsimplybusyyet,morethantheviewer,itisthemuseum
itselfthatthemuseumseekstoactivate.Weirdly,thisonlyconfirmsthenegativeimagethat
detractorshavelonghadofit:notsimplythataestheticcontemplationisboringand
historicalunderstandingelitist,butthatthemuseumisadeadplace,amausoleum.This
pointstruckmewhilewatchingNationalGallery,theterrificnewdocumentarybyFrederick
Wiseman.ForthreehoursitshowsagoodrangeofpeopleinthegreatLondonmuseum,
engagingwiththeartandwithoneanotherinthemostdiverseways.YetWisemanstillfelt
theneedtoendhistributewithadanceinthegalleries,asifthepictorialfiguresthere
neededperformingbodiestoanimatethem.Theydidntandtheydont.
Museumandmausoleumareconnectedbymorethanphoneticassociation,Adornowrotein
1953inValryProustMuseum.Museumsarelikethefamilysepulchresofworksofart.They
testifytotheneutralisationofculture.AdornoascribesthisviewtoValry:itistheviewofthe
artistinthestudio,whocanonlyregardthemuseumasaplaceofreificationandchaos.
AdornoassignsthealternativepositiontoProust,whobeginswhereValrystops,withthe
afterlifeofthework,whichProustseesfromthevantagepointofthespectatorinthe
museum.FortheidealistviewerlaProust,themuseumperfectsthestudio:itisaspiritual
realmwherethematerialmessinessofartisticproductionisdistilledaway,where,inhis
words,therooms,intheirsoberabstinencefromalldecorativedetail,symbolisetheinner
spacesintowhichtheartistwithdrawstocreatethework.Ratherthanasiteofreification,
themuseumforProustisamediumofanimation.
Justastheviewermustbepositedaspassiveinordertobeactivated,theartworkmustbe
deemeddeadsothatitcanberesuscitated.Thisideology,centraltothemoderndiscourseon
theartmuseum,isalsofundamentaltoarthistoryasahumanisticdiscipline,whosemission,
ErwinPanofskywrote75yearsago,istoenlivenwhatotherwisewouldremaindead.Here
theproperretortinourtimecomesfromthearthistorianAmyKnightPowell:Neither
institutionnorindividualcanrestorelifetoanobjectthatneverhadit.Thepromiscuityofthe
workofartitsreturn,reiterationandperpetuationbeyonditsoriginalmomentisthe
surestsignitneverlived.
Theupshotisthis:viewersarenotsopassivethattheyhavetobeactivated,andartworksare
notsodeadthattheyhavetobeanimated,and,ifdesignedandprogrammedintelligently,
museumscanallowforbothentertainmentandcontemplation,andpromotesome
understandingalongtheway.Thatis,theycanbespaceswhereartworksrevealtheir
promiscuitywithothermomentsofproductionandreception.Acentralroleofthemuseum
istooperateasaspacetimemachineinthisway,totransportustodifferentperiodsand
culturesdiversewaysofperceiving,thinking,depictingandbeingsothatwemighttest
theminrelationtoourownandviceversa,andperhapsbetransformedalittleintheprocess.
Thisaccesstovariousthensandnowsisespeciallyurgentduringaneraofconsumerist

presentism,politicalparochialismandcurtailedcitizenship.Intheend,ifmuseumsarent
placeswheredifferentconstellationsofpastandpresentarecrystallised,whyhavethemat
all?
[*]Oneproblem,notdiscussedhere,istheriseofprivatemuseumsthathousetheart
collectionsofneoliberalbillionaires.Contemporaryartisabeautifulthingforthesecollectors:
auraticasanobjectyetfungibleasanasset.Althoughtheygettaxbreaks(becausetheyare
nominallyopentovisitorswhocanbookthepilgrimage),theseneoaristocraticinstitutions
dontpretendtohaveanyrealconnectiontothepublicsphere.Usuallyataremovefrom
urbancentres,theyaremuseumsofequitydisplay,equalpartsprestigeandportfolio,and
theycompeteforartworkwithinstitutionsthatareatleastsemipublic.
Vol.37No.619March2015HalFosterAftertheWhiteCube
pages2526|2307words
ISSN02609592CopyrightLRBLimited2015

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