As a freelance museum exhibition curator, my projects walk a fine line between Theme Exhibition and High Concept.
I don't prefer one approach over the other. I believe there's a sweet spot between the two exhibition concepts, both popular and academic, that not only serve the attending public better, but also flesh out a show's intentions in a fuller and richer way. This better serves the viewer, the subject matter and the museum. Thematic exhibitions are fine for a casual afternoon out but they simply don't have the 'gravitas' that I attempt to effect in an exhibition. Theme exhibitions are all too easily dismissed as an "event" rather than a serious artistic exploration. Here the subject matter of a museum's "event" exists purely on an entertainment level (with lots of interactive devices) and doesn't venture into the "mysterious" that high concept exhibitions strive for. It's that "mysterious" element of a show that I believe most intrigues a viewer but this mysterious quality must at all times be both intellectually and emotionally accessible- not obscure and esoteric. The high concept show should motivate the viewer to investigate the subject matter on the their own after they've been inspired by it at the museum. If the show is done well, the viewer would instinctively know that there is something deeper beneath the surface that they then research on their own. They would also return to the museum often to gain deeper insight into the art and subject.
But I've personally seen the public attend many high concept "contemporary" art exhibitions at the MoMA, the Guggenheim and The Whitney and walk away puzzled and, for lack of a better word, un-engaged. These shows seem intentionally designed to be over their heads. 'Esoteric' is the operative word here, that is, designed for the specially-initiated alone (read: academicians). Is this not in opposition to the museum's goal and mission statement?
Best Regards,
Art Donovan