On Sunday 19th April Flow Contemporary Arts is hosting a brunch at SVA in John Street, Stroud, as part of the SITE Festival.
Miniature Museum by Tara Downs and Bart Sabel moves from the Waterways Museum in Gloucester on 13th April and opens at the Museum in the Park on 18th April.
We have a lot of questions arising from the Miniature Museum project and would love to talk to you over breakfast about what we are learning, or what challenges you about it.
The project is a research project – looking at how one work can respond to, then tour, to three museum locations – and reflecting on how it impacts on each place, and the people that see it there.
So we have planned this brunch event to consider a key research question:
“How might contemporary art and museums skill-share to inform innovative thinking that challenges our understanding of knowledge?”
The Friction Project was so-named due to holding a perceived idea that there exists a slight rub between contemporary art and the museum sector; and between fact and fiction. I think I have to put up my hand here and say that was a mis-preconception – because the research done, and dialogues that have been had, have evidenced no friction at all. Indeed I’d say that the level of collaboration and spirit of generosity has been a genuine underpinning for the whole project.
We are continually observing and reflecting on how people react to the work – and the issues arising. In what ways do the museums differ in terms of their collections? Are there more men than women volunteering at them, or vice versa? If so, why might that be? How do people encounter the artwork in a large warehouse space like the Waterways, compared to in a small, intimate space like the Holst Birthplace Museum?
Some visitors say there is too much information – others say they would like more. How do we negotiate those things?
We hope you can come and join us and explore these things with one of our partners in Stroud – SVA, when they host a brunch for the project. The Miniature Museum of Museums will be at Museum in the Park so do go and see it before the brunch, where we will be asking:
We invite anyone with an interest in contemporary art and/or museums to join this conversation. Friction – a blend of fact and fiction – and there’s the rub. Do the two together disrupt our understanding of authoritative knowledge, or expand it?
Participants are invited to join us to activate their analytical engines – a hearty breakfast with fresh coffee will be served.
Friction – a blend of fact and fiction
Breakfast discussion with Tara Downs, Bart Sabel and Carolyn Black
Sunday 19th April 11am-1pm
SVA, 4 John St, Stroud GL5 2HA
Funded by Arts Council England
Tickets: £5 breakfast included, booking essential
Email: office@sva.org.uk. Tel: 01453 751440
Carolyn Black 