For those of you who are new to our Next Audiences research, one of our big “a ha’s” from 800 interviews with YP’s (young professionals) is they want an arts and culture experience that includes learning, sensing and connecting (L-S-C). I attend a lot of arts events and for the first time had a true experience that included all three.
I was at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in NYC last week and picked up a device that allows you to move throughout the exhibit and listen to a recording that gives you more background about the art. It was the first time I ever tried it! The guy at the counter said this will change the way you view art.
So I moved from piece to piece and heard a recording, sometimes the voice of the artist providing their inspiration, more background about the subject matter, or what the piece really means. I found myself gravitating to only pieces that had the recording available and skipping over the ones that didn’t. I could walk around the exhibit, listen to the artist explain the piece all while trying not to bump into others. I LOVED it.
I remember approaching a specific piece with my recorder to the ear, finger on play and thinking “This one is going to be great!” What is an artists thinking putting three inflated basketballs in a fish tank, half-filled with water? To listen to the artist, Jeff Koons, describe the vibrations in the tank that move the balls from one end to the other, the degree of inflation of the basket balls and then make the leap to acceptance of others was rich and unexpected.
Another exhibit that stood out was a series of photos of a young orphaned girl taken over a span of 15 years. The artist narrated that the first time she photographed the girl, the girl cried. No one had ever wanted to photograph the orphaned girl before, so she selected her best clothes for the photo. In the images, you could see her self-confidence increase over the years. I wouldn’t have noticed this if I hadn’t listened to the artist provide the background on the young girl. I leaned in, and began to really notice the details of the photos - i.e., the clothes that the young girl selected, the way she was sitting, the background of the room, the expression on her face and the changes of aging.
I’d highly recommend trying the audio devices next time you visit a museum that offers them. The guy at the MOMA counter was right - it changed the way I experienced art. It provided a great experience full of a L-S-C arts experience!
