Art can be selfish. I definitely have times when I’m writing “just for me” because performing your art without an audience can be extremely therapeutic. I think that’s why so many people are silent in galleries—they don’t want to disturb anyone so everyone can have their own experience; effectively making each piece you pass “just for you.”

I don’t think Julianne Swartz had me in mind when she constructed Terrain, but maybe I was more in the process than one would think. Terrain is a contemporary work that was originally in the Efroymson Family Entrance Pavilion but has been re-strategized to spider web the Caroline Marmon Fesler Gallery in the Contemporary Art Collection. It has a network of speakers that hang over head from a rainbow of wire.

The speakers play the voices of 37 different volunteers whispering. They start and end on their own accord and echo thorough out the space. As you move through the room and pick-up on varying voices it’s like you’re the conductor of 37 hushed ghosts. Basically, it’s really creepy. Logging time in the gallery, I watched quite a few people enter, get freaked out and leave. However, those who stay just long enough to read the label are rewarded.

The exhibition’s label tells you that the ghostly voices were instructed “to think of someone for whom they feel tenderness and to recite what they would whisper in his or her ear.” Very quickly the whispering doesn’t seem so haunting–it’s loving. “The murmuring mass of voices is largely indiscernible; however, in certain moments private intimacies can be distinguished, such as the words ‘I love you.” While some patrons may continue to drift in and out in various levels of spooked, these hushed voices give me the feeling of wrapping myself in a blanket.

My favorite speaker hangs near the entrance on a pale purple wire. The whispering is too soft to make out but it seems almost constant, as if the stranger is completely caught up in their loved one. There’s something juicy about listening in on a stranger’s most intimate musings. (Creating a great irony because this is where I go for my little dose of selfish art.) These hushed words aren’t for me. The speaker has no idea who I am and we’ll probably never meet and who am I to listen to this private conversation?

Well, for one—it’s echoing through the entire collection– not private. Two, if I’m being affected by it then who is a better candidate for listening? I have a love for works of art that initially seem like craziness but, if given a chance, melt into something really approachable. Terrain, Julianne Swartz’s installation, falls in this category. I know by the worried looks of the people leaving its gallery that Terrain isn’t for everyone, but there are other pieces I can’t wrap my head around that are very approachable for others.

I think the point is the joy in finding a favorite; taking the time to read that extra label or stay another minute to let something soak in. What can you get out of it? Well, I have 37 people on the 4^th floor that tell me they love me every time I walk by and someone else could find something equally as good. Either way, we’re being inspired, engaged and I think that is what this whole museum thing is about.

Image courtesy of Stock.XCHNG

IMA has been talking a lot recently about education and technology. We want to give teachers and students great resources. We already have a lot of things to share, but we haven’t really figured out the best way to get them to teachers. So we are talking about what to put on our website, what teachers might like to find there and how to spread the word about all the stuff IMA has to offer (like free video!). If you have ideas you should feel free to share them here!

As I type this blog I am finishing up the last of the March uploads of new content on our iTunes U site. You will find some new videos that include the amazing Julianne Swartz intro that Daniel blogged about last week.

I feel exhausted by this rainy Monday, so my post will be short today. I know you will be waiting for my triumphant and enthusiastic come back next Monday.

This post is about our new video on the new installation by Julianne Swartz. It actually wasn’t on the schedule, but our team created it anyway. When there is a chance to capture some nuggets, we’ll be there. So here’s the breakdown –

Sunday Jan 27 – Lisa Freiman, curator of contemporary art, calls me at home. I’m relaxing drinking champagne and eating lobster. Lisa informs me that Julianne has arrived and the installation work has begun – can I stop by and get some footage of the initial work? I drive a hard bargain and arrive 15 minutes later. The entire oval entry floor is covered in what looks like a netting. Lisa introduces me to Julianne who is sweet, friendly and thoughtful. This is going to be a great installation.

January 28 – Feb 1 – I update the rest of the nugget factory (new media) team (Dan, Danny and Despi). We all agree to capture the rest of the installation process over the next 8 days. This means Dan and Danny periodically visit the installation and film. They’ve done this a million times, and it will look great. Danny convinces Brad Dilger, installation technician, to take him 30’ in the air for the perfect shot. Dan and I accidentally walk into his shot several times…and then several more times on purpose.

Friday Feb 1 – Despi has worked with the contemporary department to setup an exclusive video interview with Julianne. We try to do this with every artist that comes to the museum. It’s a video series we’re calling In the Factory (coming soon!). It’s the end of day on Friday, after a long, intensive week, but Julianne gives a great interview, dropping plenty of nuggets.

Wednesday February 6 – We film a segment for the Director’s Journal, a monthly series featuring IMA’s Director and various staff. Our boss, Max Anderson, discusses the installation with Julianne and Sarah Green from IMA’s contemporary department. It’s a three camera shoot in the oval entry using all members of the Nugget Factory. Everyone nails it. It’s a wrap.

February 18-22 – Dan, Danny and Despi wrap up all of the work for the Breaking the Mode website. It’s an inordinate amount of digital content – sixteen designer profile videos (shot and produced in-house), flickr pool images, an iMix, streaming audio and much more. Without stopping to reflect on a job well done, Danny moves onto editing the Julianne Swartz video.

Friday Feb 22 – Danny completes the video and all members of new media review it. We invite people to the Nugget Factory to view the piece (its standard operating procedure). Lisa and Sarah stop by, hang out, check out the video and ….drum roll….approve it! High fives all around.

Monday Feb 25 – The video is uploaded to our YouTube channel and takes its place as a nugglette on imamuseum.org.

Now it’s up to you to watch it!