It was time for me to decide whether my design would be something focusing on movement within the museum space (focusing more on choreography and physical movement) or more of a toolkit for conversation starters, or perhaps a mix of the two.
I was still stumped by the question of how to break the barriers between people. Could I perhaps create a puzzle or game? What would need to happen to break the fourth wall?
I needed to find overlaps in visitor behavior. Through this common ground, I would be able to find threads of connection and helping people reach across barriers.
Meeting with Melissa Bentley, Visitor Research Manager at the V&A
I also arranged a Zoom call with Melissa Bentley, Visitor Research Manager at the V&A, to learn more about the goals of their Visitor Services department. She provided insight into the research methodologies they employ to learn more about their audiences.
Mirror Device
I thought about all the times when I had ended up talking to the person standing next to me while looking at a work of art. It was when we stood so close to one another and happened to make eye contact. I thought of creating a mirror device so that people would be able to see the person standing next to them.
Although I know most people intentionally avoid eye contact with strangers, I thought it might be a fun social experiment to see what would happen when people were nudged to acknowledge the person standing next to them. What sorts of spontaneous conversations or other interactions might occur?
I first thought of something handheld, like a mirror attached to a selfie stick. Although light and portable, the visitor would most likely have to carry the mirror stick with them throughout the whole museum, and this did not seem convenient. I wanted something stationary that would be situated beside or in front of the paintings, something subtle and unobtrusive.
But then I thought of a box that could hang from the ceiling (moderate suspension of disbelief about the museum giving permission for such a thing). And within the box, it would contain an activity book/toolkit of conversation starters about the art.
prototype of mirror activity box featuring Ava
I quickly made a prototype of this mirror activity box. Immediately though, it became clear that it would not be feasible to hang it in a gallery. It seemed more like an obstruction rather than a seamless weaving into the gallery space.
Mid-Point Review Feedback:
Some feedback during my midpoint review was that my theoretical positioning seemed very broad… what are the priorities? Al also noted that this design does not seem that different from what is already out there. He noted that curators and exhibition designers might have something to say about more clutter. Does the mirror build publics? Is there a before and afterward?
It was time to go back to the drawing board.
References:
1. Boal, A. (1992) Games for Actors and Non-actors. United Kingdom: Routledge
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