#amionyet

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Welcome to the Smart Museum! A colorful entry way into their galleries that have been re-hung under the theme of "Belonging" a round table object discussion . With all that has been going on it is an important thing to explore. How do you view belonging? #trending #amionyet #chicago #arteducation (at Smart Museum of Art)

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@artinstitutechi is having a family festival! All activites in the Ryan Learning Center are free for families. But there are some activites in the galleries as well. Come check out Diwali Family Festival #chicago #artmuseum #amionyet

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Went gallery hopping with @becca.beaird last night in the design district of #chicago. We saw some beautiful works: prints, ceramics, graphite, oil and this cut paper. If you have a chance to explore the galleries of the brownline chicago stop I highly recommend it. We even got some #BenjaminCook #temporarytattoo #amionyet ・・・ Gallery hopping | what should we see next

[am-i-on-yet]

Quick Summation-Maybe not so Quick

I had a terrible realization today that I have fallen behind on tracking my social media usage and personal journaling. I have been keeping a spreadsheet to count up and keep track of the hours I spend on each platform and it had been a whole five days since I reported anything. Not to say that it had been five days since I have been on these platforms I have just forgotten to record my experiences and time later. 

A part of my method is to take screenshots of my phone every time I enter and leave SM. Looking back on my photos I have been very good at going on Instagram every day, however, my screenshots do not show the date so I had to do some educated guessing on what times went to what days. Twitter, I only had one set of screenshots from the 24th, this seemed like a long shot. I either did not go on or did not capture these moments. The first would come across as forgetful and maybe lazy on an unproductive level, the second could be looked at that I am so used to checking these platforms that it has become second nature and the act of screenshotting would just slow me down. (I am more inclined to believe the second option.)

Instagram:

I have been disappointed lately with the amount of content I find on Instagram from day to day. Going in I expected that out of my ten museums all would post daily and some would post twice. There always had to be something to share at a museum and the larger ones certainly have enough going on to share more than once in a day. This, however, has not been the case. Normally I am on Instagram for no more than 5 minutes (including my own posting time) scrolling through five new posts and reading their content. Today was different I had about 10 posts from a variety of institutions and even the pleasant surprise from the AIC that   @hebrubrantley will be taking over their Instagram for the day tomorrow!!!! I sincerely hope that there will be new life to this account and a pleasant change. This has happened before, an individual taking over for a certain length of time (I believe it has been a week at the longest) and the response has varied.As with everything, there are some who may love this change and others who frankly despise it. I personally believe that it provides the follower a new lens in which to view the museum, this individual has the opportunity to become a critical eye that can be refreshing. I for one am excited to see what this @hebrubrantley does with the page.

Facebook:

To my frustration stated above with the lack of posts on Instagram, Facebook is where I found the abundance I wanted. ICA (The Institute of Contemporary Art In Boston) has post after post on their page. As many of you know, you can connect your other SM accounts through Instagram allowing you to share content on FB at the same time. I have noticed that many institutions do this for a majority of their posts, sprinkling in a few videos and longer posts that are not photo-based. ICA rounds out their Facebook page with quotes from artists (common among museums), adds for their many programs and free days (yoga, DJ nights, etc.), articles from papers such as the Boston Globe that may mention them as well as art blogs/smaller papers that promote an expose on a current exhibit. The ICA pulls from a variety of sources, some non-art related, that keep their page refreshing. This institution stays connected to the community of Boston to keep themselves relevant to even those who are too far to constantly check in and I for one am more inclined to visit. So, two thumbs up to ICA for making me feel like you are providing me with every opportunity to fall in love with your museum and the city of Boston, in general, all over again. 

As a part of my research method, Autoethnography, I as the researcher need to be open to the changes that I may go through during this immersion and what I may experience. As I was typing and reflecting on the ICA I became extremely homesick and even started to tear up a little bit. I am from Boston and will be going back in August after a long 8-month absence. I have moved around a lot and never felt a lasting connection with a single place so I never had a problem with leaving. I am sure this happens to many, but Boston has stuck with me and I have not realized this until I left. Following ICA, MFA Boston, PEM, and MassMoca has kept me in contact with Massachusetts culture and community that I did not even look for before I began my thesis. Therefore this project has made me ecstatic that all of these amazing things are happening and also sad that I am too far away to see them. It is true what I said above, the way that ICA keeps up with their page has made me fall in love with Boston again and that is an accomplishment to be reckoned with. It is amazing that a set of social media platforms can bring an emotional connection and response, these are creating a deep relationship that I hope to continue after my Immersion is finished. 

Am I on Yet

[am-i-on-yet]

Another installment for FB

I have made the keen observation that I am not on Facebook as much as the other platforms. And here is why; it is less portable. This platform was not originally intended for phones and it is reflected in its organization. It is true that there is a ‘mobile site’, however, it is not as friendly as Twitter and Instagram which were made to be portable platforms and therefore remain easy to use. 

Facebook is crowded, the buttons are small and not all the features are available (or not in the same spot). For example, the button that was so damn hard for me to find when I first set up my thesis page that directed me to the feed of the art museums I liked is not in the same place. I searched for it for half a train ride before I gave up in frustration and decided to dedicate this platform to my computer. 

I do not necessarily believe this is a problem, or that I will miss anything of great importance because I never viewed Facebook as immediate information. For me, it is a platform to reflect the day, not to keep close tabs on events the instant they happen. It is not an “on the go” application. I view it as a way to experience the layers each museum page has decided to offer. 

One such layer, as I have mentioned before, is Facebook Live. This is a way for museums to provide videos in real-time (and later save to their page). I have watched two different types of videos using this option- the long gallery talk and the single highlights- both have their merits. These videos are directed by museum staff, often times the online viewer is encouraged to ask the guide questions. This feature offers the audience an inside look into an institution that they may not be able to get anywhere else and depending on who is conducting the tour can highlight different unique departments. 

First, are these short clips that highlight a certain work or exhibit at the museum. I have seen this as a talk concerning a single work, pointing out aspects of the piece that may be overlooked in a general visit, or as staff favorites. This personal one-on-one is my preferred method since it is such a short clip it keeps my attention. This small interaction also humanizes the staff, it says ‘I work here and I have grown to love this particular piece...let me tell you why’. This interaction is very casual and takes the online viewer away from a museum's highlight pieces, taking them deeper into the entire collection.   

The second method is the recorded gallery tour, which I admit is pretty fantastic. These, sometimes 30min,  exhibition tours are available for individuals all over the world. A visitor is no longer limited to those who can set foot in the door, but those with the internet (as you can imagine that is a lot) and accommodating every schedule....If only I had the attention span for this. Honestly, 10 min in and I am looking for something else to do, or just falling asleep. It is not because these are boring! But sometimes it is a long day and I attempt at watching these in bed so it is a lost battle going in. This is a perfect example of different engagement opportunities appealing to certain people while not appealing to others. This is just one of the many options that are becoming available, and if you are one who would love nothing more then to sit on the couch with your computer to watch a tour then this is perfect. But if a museum wants to capture the small attention span of their audience how could these tours be adjusted?  

I did watch about half of a tour hosted by the Peabody Essex museum in Salem, Ma on ‘American Impressionist: Childe Hassam and the Isles of Shoals’. Not to go into too many specifics but this artist painted on an island off the coast of New England and painted with such detail that geologists and scientists can look at the paintings to determine tide and weather conditions at the time (HOW COOL). This platform provides the opportunity for anyone to dive into a specific exhibit and learn something they could have otherwise missed at the gallery, if they could make it to the gallery at al. I was wicked excited, but it was so quiet that I was sitting with volume to the max, headphones in, and hands cupped to my ears. Naturally, it got frustrating and I gave up. 

I left a comment on the video expressing my issue and the museum was great in getting back to me to tell me it was their first attempt at FB Live and they will improve the audio for next time. Awesome response time! But why wasn’t a small clip tested to see what the result would be before diving into a full fledge tour? I hope they really do get it improved for next time. But is it too much to ask for this to be redone with better audio, because the topic is very interesting and I am sure I am not the only one who would love to experience the whole thing? Or is it not worth it and is it better to move forward? 

Am I On Yet

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Personal Check In

I just had a meeting with my thesis cohort the other night, where we discussed how our research is going thus far. Honestly, to this question I felt like a deer in headlights. All I could think of was: sure, I have been following Twitter, Instagram, and (sort of) Facebook. I have been reading what museums have been willing to say through these platforms, and am reposting what I have found worth sharing. I have posted more thought out responses to this Tumblr page in hopes that someone will be interested enough to sit down and read, and also as a way to organize my thoughts in a digital manner that coincides with the thesis at large. I have even been reading some books and articles and taking notes. But when asked by my professor, this no longer seems important due to the fact that it does not seem to resemble how one would conduct traditional fieldwork. I am not too sure how to explain this feeling, the one that you know you are putting in a considerable amount of work, but you are not sure you are really accomplishing anything.

To this “beginning of thesis crisis”, my professor gave me some words for the road “think about the a-ha moments. Or moments of tension”. These are the moments that make you pause, even if it is only for a short while. I think this is what I needed because instantly I recalled a moment not too long ago where I looked at my own feed and noticed a trend that I was not happy with. On my personal feed, I noticed that I have been posting (or reposting) from the Art Institute of Chicago more than anywhere else. I may have mentioned this earlier, but it is not my desire to become (or appear to be) an advocate to Art Institute. I want to make it clear (even if it is just to myself) that I do not value their content over the other institutions I follow. I am currently an intern at this institution and a majority of my time is spent within their walls, providing me with prime opportunities to take photos and share their daily programs or exhibits.

With this knowledge I do not want to begin to censor myself if a post catches my eye I do not want to pause and take a mental tally to see if my numbers are even. With that said, I am not sure how this changes my usage, and that is very interesting. Is it because AIC is a larger institution and they have a large range of content to post? Is it because I subconsciously feel connected to this institution because I am working here? Is it because The Art Institute of Chicago holds weight just in the name and therefore demands attention?

I have worked with AIC’s Youth and Family programming and I am proud to share some of the amazing things these staff members do. I was ecstatic to be a part of the Family Festival team that brought an entire day of free programming to AIC. But this pride is not in the institution, it is in the interactions with the families that were participating in the activities and with each other, choosing to spend their day engaged with art and art making. I have seen this interaction many places, and it is one of the things museums are proud to share through social media, a happy family engaged in an activity put on by their staff. It is something to brag about, to draw in the visitor that missed it to say ‘next time I am going’. It is a promise that you too can have fun here. 

I am not ashamed, nor will I apologize, for appearing to lean one way or the other in favoritism. This is a learning experience and I am becoming vastly aware of my own perceptions as well as my interests. Going forward I will attempt to stay aware of what content I push forward, maybe I need to be a more critical as a viewer.   

[am-i-on-yet]

Clap for the Intern

I was on twitter the other day, I'm 99% sure it was twitter... Anyway, there was a link with a great picture of a person in a small field of flowers posted by MCA. I was criticizing the MCA for a little while for only posting content from their Kerry James Marshall exhibit (a great exhibit but 4 days in a row with only info from one event gets a little old and I just move on). It was also hard to stay committed to their big show when I know that there are other things going on in that museum, but with such a big name all the other exhibits get overshadowed, which is disappointing. Why ignore the rest of your museum? Does this institution believe that while the Marshall exhibit is here it is the only thing that people want to hear about?

This post, however, had the title “Intern Spotlight: Stacy Sellers”, being an intern myself I was hooked and wanted to know what they were talking about. The post itself was advertising the deadline for the next intern position and they decided to showcase the experience of their current intern as an insider view. A fantastic idea! What better way to inspire your next employee then letting the current intern speak for their position? 

The article showcases Stacy’s time at the museum, starting with some background information about where she came from and why she chose the MCA. It was refreshing to hear someone who worked at the MCA admit that they were not always on board with contemporary art. When I was first starting out I also had no idea how to interpret contemporary art and my experiences have evolved to the MCA being my favorite space in the city. There is just something about Contemporary art that moves you.

Stacy was the MCA’s social media intern and to conclude the article she explains her job at the MCA and some of the amazing moments working at the museum. This article warmed my heart when provided the opportunity interns can be a vital part of an organization (sometimes doing it for no pay). with all the work that an Intern does, it is nice to see some getting the spotlight, as the MCA called it, and can make one feel appreciated when they are first starting out. 

Am I on Yet?  

Thoughts for the road

Twitter has provided museums to be their own newspaper, the headline is released and a reader can easily click a link to the museum’s website to read an article. Before you had to rely on an individual to look for your blog/article, now through the stream of information your post automatically gets seen from anyone who has an interest in your institution, expanding your reach. 

[am-i-on-yet]

Facebook for more than Just friending

As I was scrolling through Instagram this evening I came across this flash of images from The Museum of Modern Art. These images were photographs of Richard Avedon, Diane Arbus and Apollo 11 astronauts from the 1960s that were a part “From the Collection: 1960-1969″.  This was one of those moments where the image was only the tip of the glacier and I had to dive into the text to understand what was going on.

A lot of times Museums post images of works in their galleries to give the viewer a taste of what they might see if they visited. These images sometimes don’t offer more than the technical information and sometimes a witty anecdote or a quote by the artist. However, when I clicked the “more” button at the end of the small space I was rewarded with some very pleasing information.

Through Facebook, the popular social media platform, at 5:45pmET the curator of this exhibit will be discussing these photographs live through Facebook Live. How cool is that? You can listen to an art history talk from the comfort of your own home so pop some popcorn and get comfy! Since this is a live event the MoMA is encouraging online participants to comment during the broadcast if they have any questions. 

This is perfect for the individual who can’t get away from work or home to see something they may otherwise have loved to see. Or if you are like me and live in a different state you could tune in and ask questions. My only regret is that I did not know about this until it was too late, it was posted at about 2pm this afternoon and I had not had the opportunity to tune in until I got home this evening. But, this entire experience was recorded and was be available on the museum’s page after it was finished, so I may have not been able to ask questions but I was still able to enjoy the talk. 

So a few ending points

1. Using Facebook Live to connect to your audience opens up more opportunities for the audience to participate in a more convenient way, avoiding things such as attendance limits, distance, finances, and time restraints. Personally, it has allowed me to see shows from my hometown, Boston, that I would have otherwise completely missed.  

2. A post like this deserves an earlier warning (at least 24hrs) to catch those who can only check SM at night

3. There is this line between marketing and engagement (advertising their museum to sell tickets and engage/inspire a viewer at the moment), this particular concept tilts toward the engagement end. Yes, it advertises a specific show BUT it allows an individual to attend a tour without paying for a ticket. An online visitor can visit a show from the comfort of their own home on their own time. 

4. Clearly, I am not Always-on Enough since I missed a post from about 6hrs ago that I find immensely interesting 

Am I on Yet?