Collecting participatory art at the Denver Art Museum |
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| Authors: | Kate Moomaw |
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| Institution: | 1. Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO, USAkmoomaw@denverartmuseum.org |
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| Abstract: | Participatory art is a contemporary movement requiring viewers to take an active part in the artwork, by means ranging from interaction with materials to creative contribution. Artistic developments in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, such as political and social engagement, led to the rise of participatory practices. Concurrently, museums have reacted to falling attendance and cultural shifts by seeking to create more engaging experiences for visitors. At the Denver Art Museum, this has led to an increased interest in displaying and collecting participatory art. Through case studies of works in the collection of the Denver Art Museum, Walking in Venus Blue Cave (2001) by Ernesto Neto and ¿Being Home? (2009) by Rupprecht Matthies, this paper explores the conservation of participatory artworks in museum collections, including their maintenance on display, long-term preservation of their interactive nature, and the possibility of involving communities in conservation actions and decision-making. |
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| Keywords: | Participation Interaction Community Variability Decision-making Ernesto Neto Rupprecht Matthies Denver Art Museum |
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