Comments on: Useless and Boring: The four types of archives collections http://hotbrainstem.org/2009/08/03/useless-and-boring-the-four-types-of-archives-collections/ Go archives Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:51:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: James G. Leventhal http://hotbrainstem.org/2009/08/03/useless-and-boring-the-four-types-of-archives-collections/comment-page-1/#comment-52 James G. Leventhal Sun, 30 Aug 2009 07:51:20 +0000 http://hotbrainstem.org/?p=45#comment-52 love the grid, esp. the napkin-like look. came across notes in archives upstairs in my museum all taken on toilet paper. do you KNOW @magnes, magnes.org, etceterata? this is a really GREAT space you got here. any room on the couch? love the grid, esp. the napkin-like look. came across notes in archives upstairs in my museum all taken on toilet paper. do you KNOW @magnes, magnes.org, etceterata?

this is a really GREAT space you got here. any room on the couch?

]]> By: Maureen http://hotbrainstem.org/2009/08/03/useless-and-boring-the-four-types-of-archives-collections/comment-page-1/#comment-31 Maureen Thu, 06 Aug 2009 03:15:54 +0000 http://hotbrainstem.org/?p=45#comment-31 Thanks for the mention! I think I'm going to put this grid on our blackboard to help work through how we present our collections. Sometimes I worry that we err too much on the side of "interesting"... it's like always eating candy for dinner, and suddenly keeling over from Rickets... Thanks for the mention! I think I’m going to put this grid on our blackboard to help work through how we present our collections. Sometimes I worry that we err too much on the side of “interesting”… it’s like always eating candy for dinner, and suddenly keeling over from Rickets…

]]> By: matt http://hotbrainstem.org/2009/08/03/useless-and-boring-the-four-types-of-archives-collections/comment-page-1/#comment-29 matt Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:30:10 +0000 http://hotbrainstem.org/?p=45#comment-29 <a href="#comment-24" rel="nofollow">@jordon </a> Jordon, there is no way around it -- the enormous bulk of documents are visually boring. When we put a small archival ephemera exhibit together last year in a museum gallery, I felt we were "cheating" because we intentionally picked pretty items and created item labels that were purely descriptive without being "bogged down with context." This cheating also applies to most 3D objects or anything arts or graphics related. There is the inescapable one-second assessment where you determine whether or not something is engaging, cool, or worth looking at further -- I know I do it, so there is no use in denying the general tendency. In the end, I'm surprised that I actually do think it is fun to endeavor to create exhibits that appeal to both grazers and guzzlers. @jordon
Jordon, there is no way around it — the enormous bulk of documents are visually boring. When we put a small archival ephemera exhibit together last year in a museum gallery, I felt we were “cheating” because we intentionally picked pretty items and created item labels that were purely descriptive without being “bogged down with context.”

This cheating also applies to most 3D objects or anything arts or graphics related. There is the inescapable one-second assessment where you determine whether or not something is engaging, cool, or worth looking at further — I know I do it, so there is no use in denying the general tendency.

In the end, I’m surprised that I actually do think it is fun to endeavor to create exhibits that appeal to both grazers and guzzlers.

]]> By: jordon http://hotbrainstem.org/2009/08/03/useless-and-boring-the-four-types-of-archives-collections/comment-page-1/#comment-24 jordon Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:24:34 +0000 http://hotbrainstem.org/?p=45#comment-24 Nice gride! I went to a workshop one time on exhibition best practices, and one of the presenters argued that when writing labels, you should use language any more complicated than can be read by a third grader (might be wrong about the grade, but young as hell). The idea is that to grab people you need to be pithy and somewhat superficial. For this reason, I've always wondered if archival collections, which are predominantly text-based, lend themselves to dazzling exhibits. Good thing I'm not an archivist in charge of curating exhibits. Oh, wait... Nice gride! I went to a workshop one time on exhibition best practices, and one of the presenters argued that when writing labels, you should use language any more complicated than can be read by a third grader (might be wrong about the grade, but young as hell). The idea is that to grab people you need to be pithy and somewhat superficial. For this reason, I’ve always wondered if archival collections, which are predominantly text-based, lend themselves to dazzling exhibits. Good thing I’m not an archivist in charge of curating exhibits. Oh, wait…

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