ICOFOM Il'fTEIU'fATIONAL CO".ITTEI[ FOR IIUSEOLOGY COMlTt Il'fTEItI'lATIOI'IAL POUIl LA IIUStOLOCIE

Symposium THE LANGUAGE OF EXHIBITIONS

LE LANGAGE DE L'EXPOSITION Vol. 2 - Addenda

Vevey, Swib:erland/Suisse October/ octobre 1991

ISS 20ICOfOM SruDY SERIES

Symposium THE LANGUAGE OF EXHIBlnONS

LE LANGAGE DE L'EXPOSITION October/octobre 1991

Vevey, Switzerlancl/Suisse Alimentarium .. Mu'" .1'Ali....,lalicwl· UIW" , pion .......

Addenda to the symposium

THE LANGUAGE OF EXHIBITIONS

Edited by Martin R.Scharer President of ICOFOM

Contents

Maria Bezzeg, HungaryMuseal document and specificity 5

Damien Watteyne, Belgique Schéma de communication muséographique 13

Gundula Adolfsson and Inga Lundstrôm, Sweden Staccato in space, a medium and its message 21

Stanford M.Siachoono, Zambia Do exhibitions have a language? 25

Oumarou Nao, Burkina Faso Les difficultés de la muséologie an Afrique à partir du

Musée provincial du Houet à Bobo-Dioulasso cas du

29

Abdoulaye Sylla, Mali Le langage de l'exposition - aspects théoriques 35

Manyando Mukela, Zambia Thoughts on the "language of exhibitions" 45

Anders Ole Hauglid, Norway Sorne reflections ... 47

4.

5.

Museal Document and Specificity

(Two major, central categories of the genre of museum exhibition)

Maria Bezzeg , Hungary

The less one is·able ta grasp from a certain stage of development the genuine

reality, the more the impact of those

complexes of notions (Vorstellungs­

komplexe) increases Which one formulates

immediately fram life-experience and projects in an analogical way upon

the yet uncomprehended reality. (Georg Lukacs)l

The most important task of theoretical museology today is to specify and understand the diverse phenomena of • museum's mood of being according to

its "idiosyncrasies". In the synoptical and preliminary sketch of this discussion the statement is maintained that an "exhibition is an ~rtificial

setting". This formulation holds true, however, for a great many things in social reality. According to another definition, an "exhibition creates

an almost totally closed information-communication system". Now, what specific

feature of museum exhibitions is unveiled by that point? Sometimes museum

exhibitions are said to crea te "dreamlands", but this poetic metaphor is no less general than the above ideas.

In fact, nowadays, as I see it, we are witnessing the emergence of the

• genre of museum exhibitions. In this development one of the most important

changes is that the aesthetical reflection of reality has replaced, to a

great extent, the popularisation of science.

Once museums were basic institutes of scientific research. Their function was to bring the achievements of the sciences closer to the·person-in-the­

street by exhibiting the material vehicles of those achievements. As a

consequence of the further development of the sciences new organisational

frameworks of a more efficient type were founded, and the functions of

museums became more uncertain. There are a lot of museums which redefined their field of vocation with reference ta entertainment or a kind of

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Bezzegl2

educational work. In sorne countries (1 mean primarily the former socialist

and also the developing countries) the ideological function of museums became more important. The museum exhibition popularizing science corresponds

excellently to both educational and ideological functions.

The popularization of science utilizes those categories which are in accord

with the scientific reflection of reality. In referring to the classical

German philosophy we could apply the categories of Singular, Specifie and

General (Einzelnes, Besonderes und Allgemeines) to characterize science, which basically uses only the two polar categories, that is the Singular and the General. Let me illustrate my fundamental points by Quoting and commenting on.

the conceptions of Georg Lukacs. He devoted detailed analysis -- in his

"Besonderheit aIs Kategorie der Aesthetik" (Specificity as a Category of

Aesthetics) and. in other works -- to three ·spheres of reflection of reality,

i. e. to science, arts and everyday-life. "The dialectical movement of reali ty",

as he puts it, "as it is reflected in human thought; involves unresistable

striving from the Singular to the General and from the General back to the

Singular. It goes without saying that there are inferences in which the

Specifie is not mediated, but figures as the first premise or the conclusion

itself. But aIl this changes nothing essential as to the mainstream tendency referred to above in the scientific reflection of reality. "2

What characteristic features do those exhibitions which expose reality by means of scientific reflection now have? (One could characterize this type

of exhibition as traditional, for this feature basically belonged to the

exhibitions of former times, even if one still meets them often today.)

The title of a traditional exhibition could be like the title of a scientific

paper or monograph. Its goal is to popularize a sphere of knowledge in a

condensed and easily understandable way, by demonstrating with museum material.

In such exhibitions the General appears in the main illustrating text. Here one has access to the essential information. Slightly opposed to this one

finds the category of the Singular incorporated in a number of museal documents

(objects, written documents, photos or works of art) as phenomena. "It is a

fundamental tendeney of the scientific reflection of reality that it cle~rly

divides phenomenon and essence ... "3 The relationship between General and

Singular in exhibitions of this type 1s far stronger than the specificity

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created by Singulars.This ·approach involves from the very outset an unavoidable didactic tone and the artificiality of exemplifying when something is separately explained and illustrated. As far as a genre is not really mature, this type of didactic tone used to be characteristic. (In this respect one could refer to films as weIl.) In a traditional exhibition spiritual excitement or a shocking effect can be induced only by single items if at aIl. (The personal objects of someone of renown can for instance havegbe categol;'j,gs of 1this effect. In lS mannerltne museum's mood of being come to the fore in a spontaneous way. The visitor is shocked by the feeling that he or she has come in touch with the documents preserved in the museum and representing the • development of the human species.) Traditional exhibitions put the documents in the QQntext of each other in a consistent way. Their main role is to offer some illustration to the exposed condensed texts. This conception cannot include the tension between the elements and the whole of the exhibition, or the strained relationship between the elements. It is unable to subsume the emotion of irony or tragedy, or the means of enhancing certain effects. According to usual practice the end of the exhibition·is indicated·by a kind

of evaluative recapitulation, just as in written papers or books. Popularization was accompanied by the phenomenan of object-fetishisDl.. This

was a false tendency, characterizing neither the beginnings of the collection of possible museum items nor the emergence of museum themselves. In this day it has lost its impact both in museum practice (in this domain it could never

attain a predominating role) and in theoretical consciousness. In fact development itself refuted this faise tendency.4

Nowadays it is perfectIy obvious that museums collect outstanding and typicai documents of the most diverse type (objects, written documents, photos sound-, film- or video-documents) about the life of humankind and expose them

for the public in museologicai elaboration.

The major central category of a museum's contemporary mood of being is the

category of museai document. The precondition for the most diverse items today

being perceived as documents, was that aIl the types of these items became, as it were, indifferent as to their concrete physical medium. Not very long ago among the exposed items on exhibition apart from objects, one could find,

written texts or photos for exampIe, ~iï1\only a subsidiary illustrating role.

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Bezzeg/4

Nowadays, however, the documentative value of items of the most diverse kind

becomes more and more significant. Indifference as ta the material medium of

documents presupposes a highly developed totality of documentative items,

where no one kind possesses a predominating raIe over any other kind. S

Ta offer for these phenomena seme philosophie foundations, the most diverse

and rich abstractions may emerge exclusively on the basis of very differentiated

concrete developments. In this context a given item is perceived as the

common content of a great many things, sometimes of a whole. Therefore, it

may be conceived not only as a concrete kind of item, as suggested by the

principle, "museum pieces are no less and no more than ohjects".

Indifference as ta the physical medium is in accord with a social form in

which, say, the manager of exhibition 'planning "switches" with ease from one

kind of medium ta another, the cancrete form of the documentative item being

irrelevant. In a contemporary museum's mood of being the central category is that of

museal document, this latter has, or at least ought ta have, the most

important raIe in museum exhibitions.

Bet..een the traditional exhibition and the "ne.. type" of exhibition (1 use

this ad hoc expression for lack of a more suitable and established one) a

transitional phase is represented in the history of the genre, as the quantity

of the main text is constantly decreasing and the specificity represented by

the single documents constantly turns out ta be much stronger.

The ne.. type of exhibition (which can be met among the historical, literar~

art, archeological or other exhibitions) makes a radical break from

popularization in the traditional sense. The "sub]ect-matter" of a given exhibition is not prepared according ta the principles of scientific reflecticn_

The categories of General and Singular do not predominate in these exhibitions.

The elaboration of the theme is done according ta the principles of reflection

in the arts. The central category of aesthetic reflection of reality is, as

lukaes maintains in the above quoted work, the Specifie. "In its case", he

continues, "already the language indieates that ..e have here a less unambi­

guous concept eompared ta the case of General or Singular. While these latter

terms have a quite exact meaning, the sense of the expression 'Specifie' is

rather polysemie. It refers ta a striking, outstanding, canspicuous item

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(in a positive as weIl as a negative sense) no less than to a specific one;

it is often used as a synonym for 'well-determined' primarily in philosophy etc. This fluctuation of the sense and meaning is not accidentaI, nor does it

entail full formlessness. It indicates only the basically situational character of Specific,- namely that it represents relative generality compared to the Singular, as well as relative singulari ty compared to the General. "6

Exhibition-planning according to the principles of aesthetic reflection, is

a turning point in the history of museum exhibition as a genre. l think it is necessary to quote a longer passage fram Luk~cs about the difference between

scientific and aesthetic reflection of reality. While in theoretical reflection, "the movement is proceeding in both directions, fram one extreme

pole to the other and vice versa, and the ·middle, the Specific, plays only a mediating role, in the artistic reflection the middle changes to become a

real Middle, and figures as a focus, on which the diverse movements are concentrated. Here we find, therefore~ movement from thp. Specific to the

. Ithe :>pecMic to d . General (and vice versa) as weIl as traml e:Slng lar (and the other way

round), and in both cases the movement reaches its concluding phase in the Specific. The aesthetic reflection of reality, as the cognitive approach, strives for the totality of reality in its richness of form and content. It

intends to unfold and reproduce it by means of its specific possibilities. The aesthetic approach changes, in the above autlined way, the subjective

movement, and 50 induces qualitative modifications in the reflected picture

of reality. The Specific achieves by the same token a permanent fixed status: it is the very basis of the. form-world in works of urt. The mutual transition

of categories into each other is also modified: the Singular as weIl as the

General appear in a preserved and transcended form (Aufhebung) in the Specific.,J 8Essentially, new form can emerge only fram significantly new content.

Today, as muselnS are considered both in their "self-consciousness" and in

public oplnlon as the guards and preservers of humankind's legacy, the public

is not primarily interested in the concrete results of the diverse sciences,

but, rather. wishes to see exhibitions exposing in the greatest possible

totû1ity the life of humankind and that of the different communities, and

the P~5t reality of our world. This change of function led by way of

necessity to the above indicated development of museum exhibitions.

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Bezzeg/6

The fact that the new type of museum exhibition utilizes the means of

aesthetic reflection has far-reaching consequences. As l have already shown

the elaboration of content is accompli shed according to the principles of

aesthetical reflection. The title of an exhibition is not reminiscent of the

titles of scientific works - it possesses evocative impact. The main text, 50

weIl known from traditional exhibitions, disappears. The main goal of an

exhibition is not any more the popularization of knowledge. It turns away,

therefore, from the didactic and exemplifying style of exposition. What kind

of means of expression does such an exhibition then utilize? It is dominated

by homogeneity of expressional means, by the "language" of documents (written,

photographuand objective items). This is 50 important because, as we have

maintained, the most specifie category of a museum's mood of bcing is that of

the museal document, referring to the outstanding and typical documents ofthelife of

humankind. Enlarged reproductions of photos and newspaper details in g.eat

number are perfectly acceptable -- as important elements of the genre of

exhibitions -- for they do not distort their original message. They do not

misguide the visitors. Everybody knows that they are reproductions made by a

photomechanical technique. The reproduction of objects raises far more

problems which are too complicated to be dealt with here.

A museum exhibition should expose the given "subject-matter" in a unique

way which would be unreproducible for any other genre. This secures its raison

d'etre. On the other hand, it is a comparatively common phenomenon even today,

that exhibitions use the expresslon~l means of books. They offer a conceptual

exposition of the essence, which is simply exemplified by the museum material.

Photos or newspaper articles are often exposed in such a way as if they were

prepared for publication in book-form. Behind practices of this kind one finds

the fact that the genre of museum exhibition is not yet fully developed, the

manager of an exhibition 1S not confident enough in its specifie (and from

every other type of genre distinct) means of expression. This fact is

accompanied by a misbelief. The manager of an exhibition presupposes that the

visitor knows nothing about the "subJect-matter" and so intends ta furnish

every important piece of information. We have to state: it is a misconception

to believe that the impact of an exhibition will be close to the optimal if

ail important information is fixed in written fornl. In fact there are a lot of

mediatory elements between the given exhibition and its actual reception.

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Bezzeg/7

The whole accumulated experience of the visitor influences what is

understood from the exposed items and what kind of impact the given exhibition

exerts upon the individual. Long texts are in fact generally not read through,

but even if read, understanding is not automatically ensured, for this is a

function of the educational level and possible partial competence of the

visitor.

Museum exhibitions of this new type are dominated by the Specifie - ­

instead of the influence of the Singular and the General (which are the basic

categories of conventional exhibitions) -- according ta the principles of

artistic reflection of reality. The goal is not the intellectual grasp of the .

general relationships, but the pldstic and symbolic forming of Specifie, which

subsumes both General and Singular, in arder to achieve the universal

conditions of personal involvement and experience. 9

The theme of the exhibition is a certain well-defined, specifie theme. The

different documents do not have ta perform a subordinate, illustrative raIe

in relation to the essence formulated in the main text (for in fact there is

no main text at aIl), but through intensifying their immediate perceptability

they enhance ta the level of Specifie where both General and Singular are

transcended and at the same time preserved. What kind of means do the managers

of exhibitions have at their disposaI to achieve this goal? They crea te tensIon

between the elements and the whole of the exhibition. They utilize contradictw.g

factors, and apply without hesitation the means of intensifying, exaggerating,

condensing and enlargeming. In an exhibition one meets different types of

ducuments. The moulding of space, the effects of light and colour, and

plasticity aIl contribute ta the expression of essence.

The new type of exhibition is a closed totality, a separa te world. The

essence and appearance are not divided here, the reality exists rather in the

impressions of the visitor, -- a kind of structural double-sidedness.

The question could be raised whether the museum exhibition based on the

principles of artistic reflection is generally widespread nowadays? This can

not be answered in the positive at aIl. On the other hand, one cannot help llut tE

aware of the trend, that the genre of museum exhibition is developing frum

scientific popularization ta the exhibition built up according ta the

principles of aesthetic reflection. The two categories which are the most

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Bezzeg/B

appropriate to the present state of a museum's mood of being are those of

museal document and the Specific. The most specific category of a museum's

mood.of being is that of museal document which means the outstanding and

typical documents of humankind's life. The domination of the category of

Specific could come about, for today museums are charged to preserve,

investigate and expose those documents in which the legacy of the whole of

humankind is represented. Documents separated from their r

original context in

reality can be symbolically transposed to these relationships only through the predominance of the category of Specificity.

By means of these two categories museum exhibitions become unique places

where visitors have the possibility of experiencing a stage of the path

covered by humankind till now and~ a section of the development of the

human species. They experience the fact that they are heirs of the past, and

members of the whole of humanity both past and present. So they are able to be

involved in the present stage achieved by the species.

If museums are to be defended from heterogeneous influences of the most

dIverse origins, if they are to preserve their specifie and genuine character,

tnen they have to intensif y their fundamental Specificity, thereby meeting

tne cnallanges of the contemporary world.

References

Georg Lukâcs, Zur Ontologie des gesellschaftlichen Seins (1 quote the

Hungarian translation), Vol. III., p. 18.

2Georg Lukâcs, Die Besonderheit aIs Kategorje der Aesthetjk (1 quote the

Hungarian edition of 1957), p. 91.

}OP. ciL, p. IB1.

4Zur Ontologie ..• , op. cit., p. 330-331.

5Cf . Mar,'s analysis of the category of labour in the Introduction to the

CrItique of Political Economy (1 refer to the Hungarian edition of his

works: Budapest, Kossuth, 1965, p.. 169 f.

6Besonderheit, op. cit., p. 96.

7Op. ci t., p. 129-130.

8Op. ci t, p. 19l.

9Op. ciL, p. 174.

13.

SCHEMA DE COMMUNICATION MUSEOGRAPHIQUE

Damien Watteyne, Belgique Pour rappel, selon le Conseil international des Musées (ICOM,

1974), un musée se définit comme suit:

fiLe musée est une institution permanente, sans but lucratif, au service de la société et de son développement, ouverte au public et qui fait des recherches concernant les témoins matériels de l' homme et de son environ­nement, acquiert ceux-là, les conserve, les communique et notannnent les expose à des fins d'études, d'éducation et de délectation".

Le "style" accordé à l'exposition est une composante importante. pour le musée, pour le patrimoine et pour le public. Lorsqu'un professionnel conçoit une exposition, il doit tenir compte de cette composante; il doit surtout en avoir conscience.

x

x x

A l'origine, sémiotiquement, le musée était basé sur l'émerveil­lement du visiteur, jouant d'abord sur les sens avant la raison, afin de provoquer soit une nouvelle Ùt~pVta.lion créatrice, soit un dé~Vt de con­naissances supplémentaires.

A l'aube du 21e siècle, le musée subit de profondes mutations on Dé sait où il commence, on ne sait où il finit.

Pour ma part, j'estime que le musée conserve des objets, de la ma.liè~e. C'est son point de départ.

La seule certitude réside dans l'existence de l'objet. Il en est tout autre de son essence.

Selon Martin Scharer (Vevey, 1991), l'objet de musée comporte trois réalités

'1 _ La vraie réalité

L'objet vit dans un contexte initial qui détermine son sens et sa fonction. Il est impossible de visualiser cette première vie au musée.

- La réalité imaginée

Le musée sort l'objet physiquement et intellectuellement de son contexte initial qui détermine son sens et sa fonction et le place dans le contexte fictif de l'exposition. L'objet, mis en scène pour le visiteur, acquiert ainsi une nouvelle dimension.

'"/'''

14.

- La réalité personnelle

L'homme sort l'objet physiquement et intellectuellement de son contexte initial qui détermine son sens et sa fonction. L'objet peut séduire, raviver des souvenirs, évoquer un savoir, inciter à la réflexion et acquiert ainsi une nouvelle dimension'."

Ainsi, si l'objet transposé dans un musée (m~é~éJ conserve son existence, son essence a été modifiée. Le musée conserve - et expose - des unités culturelles métamorphosées.

L'objet ne parle pas de lui-même. Ce sont les conservateurs, les muséologues et les visiteurs qui font parler l'objet muséalisé, qui à chaque unité culturelle donnent une nouvelle essence.

Lors de l'exposition d'un objet muséalisé, deux options fondamen­tales doivent être prises par le muséologue la CO/lMta.tiO/l ou la dé/lo­ta.tiO/l.

Dans la connotation, le visiteur a le choix, la liberté de déter­miner lui-même l'essence de l'objet, de lui donner une signification unique et spécif ique. Ce t te "JtéaLi.-té pvu> O/l/le11.e." est la résul tante des acquis du visiteur, conscients ou inconscients, sensoriels ou rationnels. Devant la même bouteille de "coca lt J un visiteur verra une boisson désaltérante, un autre y verra un excitant, un troisième une bouteille réutilisable, un autre une prouesse technique de coulage du verre, un cinquième un mouvement esthé­tique, quant au dernier, il y verra le symbole de l'Amérique .. ' !

Dans la dénotation, le visiteur devrait percevoir une signification unique, un message cohérent transmis au moyen d'un langage "grammairisé tl

, aux règles très strictes. Tous les éléments environnementaux et de mise en valeur de l'objet sont choisis et agencés (scénographie) pour former une relation de signes qui déterminent alors une signification pré-définie à l'objet. C'est la Jtéaiité ~ag~/lée..

Mais il ne peut y avoir de complète et exclusive connotation ou dénotation. La muséologie reste une science humaine car elle traite de l'homme, dans ses composantes individuelles et dans ses composantes sociales.

x

x x

Le schéma de communication, de transmission de l'essence de l'objet, est basé sur quatre éléments :

- le JtéCe.pte.uA : le visiteur (figure 1);

- l'éme.tteuA : l'objet (figure 2);

." / ...

l 5.

- l'onde: la scénographie (figure 3);

- l'élément tAan4po~é : la signification de l'objet (figure 4).

L'émetteur, l'objet peut revêtir plusieurs significations résultant chacune d'une scénographie (d'une longueur d'onde) différente.

La scénographie muséologique est obtenue grâce à l'utilisation de deux grands répertoires de signaux, avec inter-actions d'un répertoire à l'autre:

1. répertoire sensitif:

"!i.&h!, ~O.!O!" signal de lumière, de couleur, de son. La source de lumière utilisée (sa nature - halogène, fluorescente, à incandescence -, sa température de couleur, son intensité), la couleur du décor environnan t (dans la vi trine J du soc le, de la salle, ... ), le son éventuellement diffusé (musique, intonation et rythme de la voix du commentaire, ... );

"!i!u!t.!.o.!!" : signal de l'environnement de 11 obj et. Les autres obj ets qui sont aSSOC1es, la vitrine (taille, type, .•. ) ou l'absence de vitrine, les objets exposés avant ou après, ... j

"reconst" : signal àe néo-contextualisation. L'objet- est-il replacé dans un cadre reconstitué ou reconstruit ? Ce cadre est-il seul ou en existe-t-il d'autres? Le visiteur pénètre-t-il dans ce cadre ou le regarde-t-il de l'extérieur?

2. répertoire cognitif

"labels" : signal de l'écriture. y a-t-il des textes associés à l'objet? Sont-ils à proximité immé­diate? Quelle est leur importance, leur contenu, leur compréhensi­bilité, leur taille, leur mise en page, le caractère utilisé, ... ?

"ieons" : signal de l'image.uÏi -graphisme accompagne-t-il l' obj et ? La compréhension de celui-ci est-elle aidée par des photographies. des dessins, des graphiques ?

"multi-media" : signal des outils inter-actifs. Des- born;-s -inter-actives (ordinateurs) collaborent-elles à une appré­hension de l' obj et, à la connaissance de celui-ci? L' obj et est-il reproduit dans le programme inter-actif? A quoi est-il associé (texte, images •... ) ?

L'apport plus ou moins important de ces six types de signaux permet une multitude de scénographies qui peuvent, au sein du même musée, se suc­céder, s'opposer, se compléter ou se confondre, dans leurs formes et dans leurs impacts.

.. ./ ...

16.

L'objet peut revêtir, totalement ou partiellement, autant de significations différentes qu'il y a de possibilités de scénographies.

Il est toutefois possible de synthétiser cette multitude de scéno­graphies en six grands types :

TYPE DE SCENOGRAPHIE IMPACT DANS LA SIGNIFICATION

1. Dépôt 1. Interrogation

2. Esthétique 2. Contemplation

3. Reproductive 3. Emotion (désir ou rejet)

4. Illustrative 4. Commémoration

5. Cognitive 5. Education

6. Significative 6. Critique.

1. Dépôt

Le signe majoritaire, voire exclusif, est la "situation" d'autres objets. L'objet est placé dans une vitrine avec d'autres, sans qu'il n'y ait de recherche d'effets lumineux, sans texte, sans aide sensitive ou cogo! tive. L'objet ne dit rien et rien n'est dit au visiteur. Parfois, il se souvient l'avoir vu ailleurs. Il ne 4'~nt~oge pas moins sur sa signification dans la vitrine, dans le musée.

2. Esthétique

L'objet est exposé avec goût. Sa présentation est la résultante d'une réflexion de la part du muséologue. Type, couleur et intensité lumineuse, couleur de l'environnement, son diffusé le signe "light color lt est largement utilisé. La "situation" est tout autant réfléchie. Quant au "labels", il est bien souvent réduit au strict minimum. Le visiteur est ainsi amené à c.olLte.mpf.Vt l'objet, à se délecter de sa vision sans pour autant s'interroger sur sa présence et sa signification au sein du musée.

3. Reproductive

Même si le muséologue a parfois recours au "light color", à "l' icons" ou au "labels", le signe majoritairement utilisé est le 'lreconstitl'. Le cadre, estimé comme originel et authentique, est soit reconstruit (tous les éléments du cadre ont été conservés) soit reconstitué (seule a été conservée une partie des éléments). Point n'est nécessaire ici d'épiloguer sur la reconstruction ou la reconstitution.

. .. / ...

17.

Ce qui importe, dans la présente analyse, est l'effet recherché - ou produit - chez le visiteur. Celui-ci peut ~tre de nature opposée : soit il désire participer activement à cette scène quitte à remonter dans le temps et à voyager dans l'espace; soit il rejette cette réalité et se rassure bien vite de son vécu. Les réactions émotionne!1e& peuvent être exacerbées jusqu'à l'extrême charmé, le visiteur désire; dégoûté t le visiteur rejette.

4. lllustrative

L'écriture ('llabels") et l'image (Ilicons") transmettent de nombreuses données. Largement utilisés, ces deux signaux sont organisés selon une logique chronologique d'exploitation de leurs contenus. Les signaux "light color ll et "situation" sont utilisés pour mettre en valeur textes et images d'abord, objet ensuite.

L'objet joue un moindre raIe. Seule prime la mention des év~nements du passé, illustrés ou eommémo~é~ par l'objet.

5. Congnitive

Texte, image ou encore outils inter-actifs prennent ici une place prépon­dérante. Ils n'accompagnent pas l'objet, c'est l'objet qui les accom­pagne. L'objet n'illustre pas le contenu, il fait allusion aux connais­sances contenues dans les signaux.

Le but poursuivi est d'enseigner le plus de données au visiteur afin d'en augmenter les connaissances intellectuelles. Cela peut être à tel point que l'objet ne fait plus a!l~~on à dès connaissances mais fait illusion de connaissances.

6. Significative

La scénographie fait avant tout appel au signal "situation". Mais les cinq autres signaux sont tout autant utilisés, à importance égale.

L'objet fait partie d'un tout, d'un ensemble scénographique dont la cohérence interactive est mûrement réfléchie. Ce n'est plus le caractère unique de l'objet qui prime mais les liens qui sont tissés par, autour et avec les autres objets. C'est son environnement qui détermine sa signification.

L'objet est signifiant, il ~ymbo~e une idée, un concept et participe à un récit ou un débat.

Ainsi le visiteur peut être amené à porter un regard plus critique sur l'objet, sur les objets, sur le musée, sur la société.

x

x x

... / .. ·

18.

Ce schéma d'interprétation muséographique et muséologique est, j'en conviens, très théorique. Il peut être appliqué à tous les types de musées Archéologie, Arts, Ethnographie, Histoire, Sciences et Techniques.

Son utilisation peut nous permettre de "décoder", de déterminer les inten­tions, souvent inconscientes, sinon du muséographe, certainement du muséo­logue, du concepteur du contenu de l'exposition.

x

x x

Je me dois, pour terminer, d'adresser mes plus vifs remerciements à Martin Scharer sans qui ce schéma ne me serait pas apparu durant une nuit blanche, sous le ciel étoilé de Vevey, après la visite de l'exposition "700 ans au menut!.

Damien WATTEYNE, ~

/'~.' -:?:~~-

Attaché au Patrimoine culturel Ministère de la Culture et des Affaires sociales

Administration du Patrimoine culturel, des Arts plastiques et de l'Artisanat de création

Secteur du Patrimoine culturel boulevard Léopold II 44

10aO BRUXELLES Tél. (02) 413.20.26/29

Fax. 413.24.15

19.

Figure 2: l'émetteur.Figure 1: le récepteur.

récepteur

o Figure 3: l'onde.

T

1

A W

Figure 4: l'élément transporté.

9f/11ilicNÛon

20.

Figure 5: scénographie muséologique.

1

siŒ/ilicatiOf/

~ J;;;J

ô§

récepteur

Gundula Adolfsson and Inga Lundstrom, Sweden

Staccato in space, a medium and its message

Some time ago, as we were planning an exhibition in the Norwegian town of Stavanger, we had a lively discussion about whether or not to include plants and flowers as part of the exhibition. The discussion stemmed from a well-known problem: plants and flowers can counteract the cold and soroetiroes sterile atmosphere of an exhibition hall. On this occasion, however, we intuitively felt that this would give the wrong signals. Flowers make you think of department stores and offices, of the aesthetics of goods and trading, in other words of another aesthetics than that of the museum. For that reason, . we decided that they didn't belong in our exhibition. It is not the flowers that should enliven otherwise unimaginative and sterile exhibitions. The language of exhibitions must have a life of its own.

An exhibition puts across not only facts, but equally shape , form and colour, feelings and atmosphere, a sense of the room and, last, but not least, it puts across the exhibitor's attitude towards the visitor. Does he want to teach, convince or persuade?, or does he want to question and surprise? When, having been to an exhibition, the visitor tells you that he found the exhibition very educational and that he learnt a lot from it, he probably me ans that its language was very pedagogical. But if he says that he was surprised and excited, he is probably describing._ an exhibition whose language was more dramatic, effective and expressive.

Swedish exhibitions relating to the history of civilisation, mainly use an educationally flavoured language. Their language is pedagogical, persuasive and cold. It is felt that a more emotional language would disturb the educational intention. What we reguest is a language that is more daring and dramatic, one that uses artistic expressions: enlargements, scaled down representations and distortions.

The fact that museums take care of, and administrate, science (in the shape of archeological, ethnological and anthropological objects), doesn't necessarily mean that we should make ourselves the slaves of our source material. It is a roisunderstanding to believe that science has nothing to do with imagination, and, vice versa, that art has nothing to do with intellect. Basically, the exhibition ofany object is "historical theater", ie a more or less conscious effort to put something on show. The museum as such is imaginary, an abstraction of reality (André Malraux). Items from a mixture of epochs and many different places are put together to form an artificial whole. Time is converted to space. This doesn't correspond to reality, rather it is an absurdity.

Thus, the language of exhibitions is as much the language of art as that of science - its an integrated language.

22.

This also holds true in its relation to the media. The exhibition is in itself a medium that comprises. many different languages: object language (three-dimensional) picture language (two-dimensional) and verbal language. This makes it different from other media, for example those of radio, television and newspapers. The special quality of the exhibition, its "media property", consists of a combination of verbal-visual modes .of expression in space. The language of exhibitions is characterised by it being integrated, verbal-visual and three dimensional. There is no getting away from the fact that it is the three dimensionality, ie the experienceof the visitor and his participation in the exhibition, that gives that uniqueness to the exhibition. That is what makes it different from all other known media. An exhibition with a lot of texts on the walls therefore defeats its own purpose, its own medium. The verbal language is not its foremost way of expression. Rather, its strength lies in a combination of text, picture and object.

Some exhibitors see the relationship between the verbal language (the text) and the visual language (the object and/or

picture) as working in balance. However, it is not a question of balance. The relationship between the verbal and the visual is a question of a relation between forro and contents, ie to what extentwords are needed in order to make the exhibition more understandable and expressive. The text should not explain the exhibited object! but rather be a component part of it. Therefore the exhibitor should master the verbal-visual language. In doing this, one must understand that the text has a visual aspect, and the visual has a verbal aspect, in relation to the exhibited objects. This means that, for example, the picture should not repeat the text, and that the text should not repeat the picture.

For this reason, it may notbe a good idea to have language experts formulating texts for exhibitions, as often happens. It leads to a division of the linguistic expression of the exhibition, and is actually grotesque. In the same way as the picture and the dialogue of a film are one unit, the verbal and the visual expressions of an exhibition should be one unit.

What is good exhibition language?

One minimalistic demand could be to let this language be that of the good media language, that is, to make use of its advantages and uniqueness. In our work with exhibitions, we have for example found that a staccato language in the texts is more suitable than wordy fact-filled prose. This also mirrors an important aspect of the exhibition, namely that the exhibition area, the hall or room, counteracts any systematic order in which the objects have been arranged.

This systematic order presupposes some form of chronology, a

23.

beginning and an end. But the visitor is no robot. He may disregard the systematic plan, and wander around at his own leisure. If he does, he may not understand the intentions and messages of the exhibitor. For this reason, the exhibition planned according to a system and chronology. is an impossibility. And the intended unity of the large ' permanent, chronological exhibitions is nothing but an illusion. The conditions of exhibitions are more suited to an essaie-like or fragmented presentation. This also allows the visitor more freedom in the exhibition area, and increases the exhibitor's possibilities to build a more dramatic and varied set ..

It may weIl be that the medial strength of the exhibition is the staccato - both in shape and contents. Like Mc Luhan we believe that "The media is the message". And in the context of exhibitions, it is the telegram form, rather than that of the historical novel, that best lends itself to putting across the message

Gundula Adolfsson, archeologist and jourNational Swedish Radio

nalist a"t ·the Company

Inga Lundstrëm Archeologist and at the Museum of NAntiquities

curator ational ..

Translation Doris Tomlinson.

24.

25.

DO EXHIBITIONS HAVE A LANGUAGE?

Stanford M.Siachoono, Zambia

Exhibitions may broadly be defined BB primBry vehicles

through which museumB endeBvour to serve the public at all

levels. The public ie B heterogenous mixture of individuals

with a wide range of vBriableB e.g. sex, Bge , sociBl and

economic grouping motivBten etcetrB. Exhibitions may further

be classified into their (1) physical attributes, na~ely,

Permanent ~, Temporary and, Travelling: (2) informative

attribut es, namely thematic, systematic and interactive.

The above are attributes which may be used to deBcribe an

exhibition. They suggest that there is an obvious variation

in types of exhibitions in museums.

Do all of these vBrious types of exhibitions have a common

lBnguaoe?

A language may be defined aB a system of sounds e.g. birds,

symbols, e.g. hieroglyphicB in ancient Egypt etectrs used

for com~~ni=ation. In modern timee, we hBve relied more on

specialized vocabulary. An exhibition 'language' Bhould be

therefore one that Bims at fulfilling the construction of

B worthuhile experience for a visitor. After all the

motivation fer visitors to a museum is to derive satisfsction

and enjoyment of the exhibits they are going to see.

Exhibitions in museums Bre uBually mounted by B team of

museum enployees composed of B Curator, designer and a

policy maker. The Curator hBS the collections of the

objects to be used in ~n exhibition. He may even have to

borrow adcitional collFctions to meet the required number of

objects or in other csses to complete the picture being

constructed.

The designer arranges the Bpace utilization Bnd special

effects such as dioramas. The Policy maker, usually the

Director of the Institution, sees to it that the exhibition

meets tha Policy requirements.

Dther staff an~ outsiders maY be involved at different stages

to produce an exhibition. Th, production goal ie to produce

an exhibition which fulfils the nuseum role in fecilitating

an encounter between the object and the visitor.

26.

The exhibition producing team further aims at reaching their

audience by arranging objects on display in an observable

phenomenon which falls into one or more of the three

categories of the informative properties of an exhibition.

The art of fashioning the exhibition 50 that it achieves

the desired end re~ults is an important ingredient to the

exhibition team.

The 'language' of exhibitions therefore begins when the

physcial attribut es i.e. Permanent, Temporary and / or

Travelling exhibition have been identified. This is

folloued by the indentification of the informative

attributes. The latter depend largely on the collections

which th~ museum has for the exhibition.

16, the exhibition a systematic object - oriented, or a

thematic exhibition where objects support the Theme, or is

an interactive exhibition which givea the visitor a chance

to rEspond to the exhibition? The above attributes set the

initial scenatio for an exhibition. However, is this a

common practice in museums the world over?

As Institutions that serve societies not only in their

respective localities, but elsewhere, museums have an

obligation to make certain practlces uniforme Each

Institution iG not only serving the public, but uses the

collections it has or borrowed to reach its public. Museums

have not only evclved as education centres but eQually (and

atrong~y GO) as tourlst products.

A lanouoge is used for communication and in cases of

museums that means education. Do exhibitions therefore

schievEs this educational role in their communications

throuGh e::hibitions? The success of any exhibition seems

to depend lorge1y on the art of its creation. Do the objects

snd not just captions convey the research finds on the given

subject in an exhibition?

3/ •••••

27.

Sorne of the questions raised in this brief discussion may be

answe~ed through an evaluation exerciae of an exhibition

before its opened to the public. However, this may not give

the answera to all the problems but it only improves upon

the art of its creation. It aeems important to have a well

planned objective within the framework of the attribut es

of exhibitions which should fulfil the communic~tion of facts

and/or concepts, change of attitudea, motivate, to give

enjoyment and motivation.

If museums have to develop a common language of exhibitions

there is need for constant interaction within the museum

Profession and the Society. This will make objects and their

interpretation more meaningful and enjoyable to the public. ~

For any language to be reb8st and versatile, it ~ has to be

dynamic and easily adapted to any exhibition.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHV

Manual of curatorship; a guide to museum practice, Edited

by J.M.A. Thompson.

SECTION 3 - ButterWorths. The Museums Association 1984.

(a) Visitor Services -edited by D.A. Bassett, and DR. Prince

(b) Exhibition Design -edited by G. Velorde

(c) Communicating through Museum exhibitions -edited by

M. 8elcher

(d) Evaluating Exhibitions - edited by S. A. Griggs.

29.

LES DIFFICULTES DE LA MUSEOLOGIE EN AFRIQUE A PARTIR DU CAS DU MUSEE PROVINCIAL DU HOUET A BOBO-DIOULASSO

Oumarou NaD, Burkina Faso

Lorsqu'on crée un musée, au nombre des buts qu'on lui as­

signe, on retient généralement l'education du public. L'objet, au cours

du travail muséologique est scientifiquement étudié pour occuper plei­

nement sa place au sein de la scène.

Dans un contexte purement africain, quels sont, les diffé­

rentes réactions du public devant des oeuvres exposées ? Nous nous ap­

puyerons dans notre développement sur l'exemple du musée provincial du

Houet, de Bo~oulasso au Burkina Faso.

Le musée provincial du lIouet à Bobo-dioulasso, deuxième vil­

le du Bukrina Faso, a commenè~ à fonctionner pleinement depuis le

mois de mars 1990 à l'occasion de la cinquième édition de la semaine

nationale de la culture.

Le musée comprend deux salles dont la pre­

mière reçoit les expositions temporaires et la seconde une exposi­

tion permanente. Toutefois, selon l'importance des pièces à présenter,

une partie de la deuxième salle accueille les objets de l'exposition

temporaire.

De Mars 1990 à aujourd'hui, cinq expoaitions ont été présen­

tées au public sur des thèmes fort variés

Exposition Deux - noues remontant l'histoire et montrant

l'importance des bicyclettes et des cyclomoteurs dans la vie

du paya.

Exposition Petits savants du Burkina présentant des créations

de jeunes des 10 à 16 ans dans les domaines techniques et scien

tifiques, jugées originales.

Une exposition photographique sur la femme dans la Société

Burkinabè à partir d'un travail de thèse de doctorat.

- Une exposition présentant des toiles de batik

Une exposition sur les aièges et les cannes, insignes du

pouvoir.

28.

30.

Il est à noter que ce qui eBt intéreBBant, c'eBt la varia­

tion de la réaction du public autochtone de Bobo-DioulasBo,face au

langage deB oeuvreB expoBéeB dans leB deux BalleB' En effet, en sui­

vant les Burkinabè le long du parcours organisé , on remarque que

leB objetB préBentés parlent différemment.

LeB expositions temporaireB Bemblent bien participer d'un

des obja;tifs fondammentaux de tout musée digne de ce nom : l' édu­

cation du public.' En effet l'ar.:t'tuenoe'. a été très forte pour viBi­1

ter leB veloB et les mobylettes anciennes, appuyés de photographies

montrant leur place cOllle principaux moyens de transport et objet

de richeB modifications et de décorations. Il en a été de même pour

l'expoBition Bur les objets fabriqués par les jeunes de 10 à 16 ans,

vus comme deB merveilleB et montrant leur capacitéB inventive et

créative.

CeB deux expoBitions montraient particulièrement deB objets

de l' héritage anceBtral deB populations localeB' Celles-ci les viBi tant

en découvrant réellement deB choBeB; En même tempB, elleB B'éduquent

par le travail d'obBervation personnelles deB pièceB préBentées et du

commentaire deB guideB. A première vue, l'intérêt accordé à l'expoBi­

tion par leB viBi teurs montre dans ceB deux cas préciB, que le travail

muséologique a été bien accompli. De ce fait, une étude au Bein des

Populations localeB Bur ce qu'elleB aimeraient voir expoBé peut aboutir

à de telB thèmeB.

La deuxième remarque eBt l'effet négatif qui reBsort de la

préBentation en musée deB objetB repréBentant leB valeurB dans les do­

lllBineB cultue}B' deB populationB' Il B' agit principalement deB statuetteB,

deB masqueB, deB objets Bervant dans la divination et leB autres prati ­

queB culturelles.

Du fait que leB pratiqueB cultuelles Bont encore en cours

dans leB BociétéB ancienneB d'Afrique noire, leB populationB voient com­

me une profanation, la préBentation en vitrine, même Savamment étudiéB,

des objets dont deB exempleB, Bervent encore aujourd'hui. Cela explique

que leB viBi teurs locaux ne s'attardent pas longtemps devant statuetteB,

masqueB et autres objets de culte qui pour eux Bont du Beul domaine du

sacré, dont de la manipulation reste réservés.

31.

Devant une telle situation, quelle attitude adopter par

le muséologue africain dont la Société n'a pas subi une profonde

mutation dans ce domaine précis pour accepter que les objets repré­

sentatifs de ses valeurs les plus profondes, utilisés dans un

cadre réservé soient exposés publiquement ?

Ceci montre une partie des problèmes que rencontrent bon

nombre de muséesen Afrique pour s'intégrer dans leur milieu. En

d'autres termes, faut-il présenter ou non à des populations locales

des objets à la fois ethnographiques, donc porteurs de leurs valeurs

morales spirituelles et religieuses? Ces objets sont à la fois et

souvent d'une belle facture ce qui introduit la notion de l'initia­

tion de ce même public à l'esthétique locale;

Il nous paraIt personnellement di~icile d'apporter une

réponse nette à ces questions, du fait que nous I\éagissons en par­

tie avec une psychologie occidentale (du fait de notre longue édu­

cation sur le modèle de l'OCcident) sur des problèmes de sensibilité.

Toutefois, on peut faire des remarques portant sur une analyse de

certains problèmes des musées africains. Ceux-ci peuvent peut-être

aider à comprendre les difficultés à trouver le langage adéqust à

donner à une ensemble d'oeuvres exposées à des fins de diffusion,

d'éducation ou de simple délectation d'un public dont on ne peut

pas facilement dire qu'il est exigent.

En premier lieu, on peut noter l'insuffisance de la

formation du personnel des musées. Au Burkina Faso/ pays sous-dé­

veloppé, le musée n'appara!t pas comme un instrument participant

directement au développement du pays. Aussi n'est-il pas compté parmi

les priorités auxquelles apporter une aide urgente;

Le Second problème constituant un handicap à l'épanouis­

sement des musées, reste sans conteJrt;e le niveau faible dans son ensem­

ble, de l'instruction des populations. Dans leur majorité, elles ne

comprennent pas encore le bien. f~ndé de ces institutions culturelles

qui les éduquent par leur langage pro~e-. à partir d'observation

visuelle directe de pièces/ comme les autres écoles/quelles' que

soient leurs spécialisations.

/1

32.

Le troisième problème de la muséologie en Afrique, lié au

premier, est le manque crucial de moyen matériel et financier, Les

agents des musées n'ont pas de budget conséquent pour élaborer une bon­

ne exposition' Ils ne disposent pas non plus dans la plupart des cas de

bonnes vitrines ni même de bons locaux de présentation des oeuvres.

Il Une femme qui n'a pas un minimum de soins, est difficilement attirante.

Ces trois bouchons qui handicapent le développement des

musées en Af'rique doivent être "sautés" pour que le peu d'agents qui

ont été solidement formés puissent travailler correctement. Il n'est

pas en effet rare de voir des conservateurs et des responsables de

sections des musées occidentaux s'étonner du mauvais fonctionnement de

musées af'ricains dans lesquels ils connaissent des agents souvent

brillants, à la formation desquels ils ont participer avec beaucoup

d'amour pour le métier.

De tout ceci, on peut donc dire, que pour permettre une ex­

pression claire d'une exposition, il faut prendre en compte le niveau de

iormation des agents qui la crée d'une part/et les moyens dont ceux-<:i

disposent d'autre part. En l'absence de ces moyens forts, on peut com­

prendre les handicapes des agents de musées en Afrique à trouver les voies

d'exposer leur propres culture à leur propre société tout comme les musé­

ologues Européens le font. Nul n'est ici besoins de dire que les deux

mondes européen et af'ricain ne rencontrent pas dans leurs Sociétés

respectives, les mêmes problèmes.

En Europe la Société s pris l'habitude de consommer et s'est

dotée des moyens de la faire. C'est vers cet autre développement que la

société af'riciane doit tendre, cette fois, dans le domaine Spécifique

des musées, avec les expositions.

Au terme de notre développement sur le langage de l'exposition,

encore que nous n'avons entrevu qu'une petite partie de ce thème, on

peut dire, à partir de l'ex....ple du "petit" musée de Bobo-dioulasso, que

la formation en muséologie des agents est une étape importante à l'exploi­

tation muséolographique de ses riches collections. Toute exposition

est une scène savamment organisée des pièces présentées, Pour que le

langage de l'ensemble soit harmonieux, conérant et accssible au pu­

bUc les pièces et leur parcours doivent être l'objet d'une étude.

33.

Pour ce faire, la formation de l'agent dana le domaine Spécifique

de la muséologie est un préalable incontournable. Dans certains

domaines délicats, il doit savoir quoi exposer, où et comment.

34.

35.

/)/)INlSTERE DE LA CO~rurnICATION REPUBLIQUE DU MALI

ET DE LA CULTURE U!l PEUPLE - U!l BUT - U!lE FOI

-:-:-:-:-:-:- -:-:-:-:-:

DIRECTION NATIONALE DES ARTS

ET DE LA CULTURE

-:-:-:-:-:-

Abdoul aye Syll aMUSSE NATIONAL

LE LANGAGE DE L'EXPOSITION - ASPECT THEBRIQUES

Introduction

Aboutissement d'un long procsssus muséologique. l'exposition consti ­

tue. à n'en pas doutsr. la vitrine du musée.

Dès l'acquisition de son nouveau complexe muséal à 1~81ï ~ui~ ds la

coopération franco-malienne. la tâche principals dss autorités culturelles de

l'époqus, a été la sensibilisation des masses populaires, ve~s un outil aussi

précieux qu'est le musée.

Le toute première oeuvre à accomplir était d'abord une collecte plue

généralisée, en vue de mieux faire représenter toutes les ethniee du paye.

Une fois constituée suivant un shéma préconçu par les techniciens en

la matière. notre institution s'est définie. de par SeS propres caractéristiques.

et par rap;ort à See propree échelles de jugement.

Ainsi. de par la constitution de noe colleotions. fruit de l'amalgame

de l'ancien fonde, et d'une collecte sur le terrain en 1981, nous avons tenu

compte du caractère pluri ou interdisciplinaire de la collection devant être mise

à la disposition de tous les intérêts et de toue les regards.

Dans un musée. comme le n~tre en voie de gestation. on est obligé de

faire intervenir les approchss et les intérêts de ceux qui vont avoir à utiliser

1 'insti tution.

L'exposition inaugurale. intitulée. l'ouverture sur la vie quotidienne

hièr et aujourd'hu~ a permis d'orienter les recherches vers d'autres approches plus

conséquentes.

· ..1...

36.

Organisation interne du Musée National du Y~li

~u Musée National du Mali, quatre sections s.ppléées par la Direction

constituent la charpente organisationnelle.

La section exposition-animation s'ocàupe particulièrement des visites,

de l'organisation et de la fréquentation du musée, par le milieu scolaire et le

milieu socio-éducatif en général.

Par une pratique culturelle remontant aux années 1980 au Mali, l'essentiel

de notre service éducatif est orienté vers les écoles.

Si, dans notre entendement, nous pensons que les objets doivent 3tre oon­

servé~nous essayons, autant ~ue faire ce peut, de tout mettre en oeuvre, surtout

dans le domaine dese(positions, afin que nos méthodes d'expmoitation ne les mettent

en péril.

Il faut en m3me temps décloisonner les habitudes, mais en même temps tant

qu'on a la conscience fond;e SBn l'argumenté de la neceesité du métier de muséologue

veiller à la fonction fondamentale qu'est la permanence, la conservation, la trana-

Clission.

Donc, nous essayons de dégager l'ouverture la plus large possiLle aux ex­

ploitations les plus amples poesibles.

De ce point de vue, nous rappelons, à p::rti:' è.e ce point précis, :;ue le

è.roit de parele dans notre mueée eet libre.

Nous faisons tout, pour éviter de dicter aux visiteurs ce qu'ile ont à penser

et à dire sur l'institution.

En tout cas,. noue sommeS conscif.nte qu'il n' ya pas de discours univoque à

imposer dans notre musée.

Dans un r.;usée, comme le Musée National du ,:ali, qui repond typiquement à la

catégorie des musées r.;ixtes, il ya un matériel d'une telle diversité, qu'aucun dis­

cours ne peut s'imposer SUè l'ensemble de la collection.

Notre musée détient un matériel archéologique et ethnographique, allant de

la Préhistoire à l'histoire contemporaine, de toutes lee origines, axé principalement

.. ·1 ...

37.

sur les traditions orales.

D'où l'impossibilité d'un discoars univoqus sur toute l'sntité de la

collection.

Le Musée National du ~~li, ~par sss relations avec les artistes, les

ambassades accréditées dans notre pays, dss manifestations qui sont en relation

avec l'institution. Celà s'évertuant par des demandes de rentrée dans la collec­

tion de type extrêmement divers.

A partir de ces exemples, on se rend compte qu'il ya mille entrées possible:

par rapport à une collection, ou à un musée.

Il n'est pas nécessaire, de voir un ensemble comme indifférencié pour

pouvoir l'analyser et le différencier.

Il faudrait tout avoir de tout le domaine considéré pour pouvoir choisir.

Il fau', construire autour de la préser.tation de l'objet qu'on a décidé de

cor.server et de montrer, tout l'appareil qui va permettre d'entrer en rapport avec

lui, pour construire son statut, et le connartre comme spécifique.

Dans le cadre des relations entrE les visiteurs, surtout maliens, (dont le

nombre e'eet réellement accru CeS dernières années), l'un dES princirnlu reproches

les objets exposés.

Du fait de cette néceseité de faire parler l'objet. L'objet parle par lui

même. Il faut être armé pour le faire parler, pour lui faire dire un certain nom­

bre de choees. Une chose ne dit pae ea vérité, c'est l'homme ~ui construit la réa­

lité de la chose avec laquelle il est en rapport.

Devant un objet archéologique ou eth0&raphique, il apparait d'abord comme

témoignage de l'histoire de la production de l'image et du rapport aux images •

. ...1.. ..

38.

Les expériences péglagogiques

Au Musée National du Mali;trois ateliers ont fonctionné depuis '983

l'Atelier d'Arts plastiques, l'Aatelier de marionnettss st l'Atelier de musique •

.teurs objectifs sont les suivants :

'0) Contribuer à la formation esthétiqu~ des enfants, sn prenant appui sur

les éléments du patrimoine culturel national.

2°) Permettre aux jeunes auditeurs, par des contacts fréquents de se fami­

liariser avec les témoignages de l'héritage culturel.

3°) Apprendre a~~ enfants à mieux voir, et de susciter chez eux le goat

des techniques manuelles.

4°) Contribuer à la création de loisirs sains et attrayants.

Au cours des ateliers, les enfants apprennent et utilieent diverses te8hni­

ques manuelles: le devoir, la peinture, le coloriage, le collage etc ••• dans les

ateliers d'arts plastiques et de marionnettes, le jeu du balafon et du tam-tam

dans l'atelier de musique.

Ces différentes techniques o. leur combinaison o~permis aux jeunee audi­

teurs de réaliser des oeuvres qui expriment à la fois l'originalité et la créa­

tivité de l'auteur.

Les oeuvres ainsi réalisée~ sont présentées a~ cours d'une exposition

couronnant la formation des auditeurs.

Méthodes de présentationa

Dans un rr.usée comme le nlitre} il ya l'exposition et son apparat, et puis les

réserves qui constituent un fonds d'études.

En CB qui concerne l'exposition et son apparet, il ne suffit pas de pré­

senter les objets, il faut les entourer d'un nir.imum d~élements p&rmettant leur

co~merce et leur acc6s.

D'abord, l'esthétique de la présentation et puis un élément très important

l'étiquetage.

. ..1. ..

39.

En réalité, plus on met, mieux c'est.

lais avec le revers de la médaille, c'est que plus qu'on met, moins le

public va regarder l'oeuvre présentée.

Du titre de la pédagogie de l'animation, il ya durant ces quelques années

certaines tendances extrêmement inf'ationnistes sur le panneau explicatif. On voit

dans certains expositions, pour dix àbjets quarante panneaux explicatifs.

Xusée et Public

En conclusionJ

une enquête m'a per~is de subdiviser les visiteurs de notre

musée suivant les oatégories suivantes :

10 ) Les conservateurs ou gardiens des rites de nos société sécrètes pour

qui, le Musée n'est rien d'autr~ qu'une institution pervertisseuse/érigées exprès

pour fouler aux pieds les tradietions ancestrales.

20 ) Les nouveaux oonvertis aux religions musulmane et chrétienne pour qui

vieiter le Musée/serait plut6t un retour aux croyanOes périmées.

)0) Les musulmani pour qu~ le tusée n'est rien d', autre que la résurgence

de l'animisme dans son contexte le plus absolu.

40 ) Les intellectuels au sein desquels il faut distinguer deux sou., ­

groupe~d'une part/une élite d'a~ateurs pour lesquels, le Xusée est surtout un

~ lieu de recueillecent dont l'existence, quoique portant contusion, doit quand

même être tolérée, voire en'ouragée, d'autre part, les éléments que l'on pourrait

qualifier de "déracinés" qui oscillent entre l'occidentalisme béatl et le souci

incertain relèvecent de leur propre culture. Pour eux, le Musée peut se présenter

comme un frein à la marche de leur société dite civilisée. $e .n

50) Les femmes qui subdivisent é~alement deux sous groupes. D'un c6t~,

les fem;1es des campagnes, en core i"pre5'.ioJül';~c Il''): l~s ''Iythes" entourant lee

sociétés aécriotes, considèrent le Mueée comne la " maison des sorciers et des

interdi ts.

. ..1.· .

40.

PIJ

De l'a~tre c6t~, les citadines ~ui ne se reconnaissent du to~t d.asle

M~sée, s'en détournent cor-:plètement Joli ne le visi tent q~e timidement.

60 ) La jeune génération, pour laq~6l1e to~t ce q~i est instr~ctif n'e*t

pas étranger. C'est le gro~pe le pl~s assid~ a~ Musée.

ABDOULAYE SYLLA

)!USEE NATIONAL DU MALI

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scxno: : KJSEE Nl\.TICNl\L DU M!\LI ; Le Musée et les visiteurs ; Rapports annuels de

85j9(!) .~~.l1its l"Ql plb;l.i.és.

Année

Mois 85 86 87 88 89 90

Janvier 2199 2249 1537 2207 789 12I7

Février 579 1853 1512 1460 1336 1328

·Mars 2085 1907 1042 1337 984 1099

Avril 1539 1312 1058 1566 1925 772

Mai 1904 2708 826 778 954 3705

Juin 2099 2394 1458 877 1138 1347

Juillet 2214 1933 1203 729 777 944 .

AoQt 1969 1192 1166 1166 1279 1419

Septembre 1574 l ' .. 1 373 611 1332 1006 1008

0 ::>bre 2165 1438 872 995 1053 1114

Novembre 2338 1407 1274 1875 904 1165

Décembre 3958 1705 1161 1255 1256 900

26380 21471 13720 15577 13401 16018

Année Total

1985 26380

1986 21471

1987 13720

1988 15577

1989 13401

~90 1601

Pourcentage

28,62

23,30

14,88

16,90

14,54

1 ,73

Rang

1er

2

4

3

5

6~

Total 92150 10(...;'/.. ~,

. .­Moyenne de fréquentation : 92150/6

15.358,33

1279/mois/ 4~64 visites/jour.

44.

45.

ref: MM/lcorOM/1

IcorOM 1991

Thoughts on the "Language of Exhibition"

By Manyando Mukela , Zambi a

In our discussion, MUSEOLOGY AND DEVELDPING COUNTRIES (1988) we discovered that

museology, as a science, was universalj it was the same aIl over the world. However, it

is probably true to say that the 'museum' is not the same thing ail over the world.

Museum experiences differ, sorne parts of the world have had a long museum tradition,

while others have had museums for ooly a few years. Cultures differ, societies react

to situations differently and people's perceptions differ. Interpretations of museum

abjects in a museum may differ in different circumstances or cultures.

One of the ways in which museums communicate is through exhibitions. This is a

complicated way of passing information because they cater for a very diverse public in

terms of age, educational experience and cultural background. Exhibition designers have

ta keep this fact in mind. Generally it is sa id that the quality of the design and graphies

of museum exhibitions determine the effectiveness of these exhibitions. In my view, the

effectiveness of design and graphies in museum exhibitions is relative to the experienee of

the beholder; they depend largely on the circumstances of the public who view them.

Another point to consider with museum exhibitions is their usual long duration.

8eeause exhibitions are expensive ta ereate they tend ta remain unchanged for a long time

- esoecially permanent ones - th us making them less adoptable to changed situations. They

often lag behind current situation, yet the y are supposed to convey the latest information

on the subjeet of the museum's competence.

Exhibitions are based on the collections of material in the museum. Presentation

for public view in the museum is the responsibility of various museum personnel working

together, each contributing their part according to their raIe in the museum - eurator,

graphie artist, education officer, etc - but also bearing the museum visitar and his

expectations in mind. A few questions might be asked: Why do museums mount exhibitions

- ta educate? If 50, ta what extent ~re ~useums educational institutions and what type of

education to they offer? - 10 entertain? If 50, how do they compete with other means of

entertainment, like television, papular magazines, theatre, etc? Are museum exhibitions

necessary - cannot the message the y convey be obtained in other, perhaps more effective

ways?

While much information about"museum exhibitions already exists, it is still necessary

ta study this subject, conduct exhibition evaluation, observe visitor behaviour and try

other methods of museum communication.

46.

47.

Anders Ole Hauglid, Norway

Madame Chairman and Mr. President!

Dear Colleagues!

1 would IIke to give some reOeclions on this topic after reading the papers in front of this conference, but 1 feel 1 have to do it through my own museum experience. Therefore 1 start wilh a shorl presentation of my way ioto Museum exhibitions, not as a curiculum vitae of course, but as an inlroduclion 10 whal 1 see as one of Ihe main problems of museum exhibitions: THE MESSAGE!

As a former head of a museum region in northern Norway in the beginning and the middle of Ihe 1980'ies, 1 was starting a quile new museum • in the region of North Troms. My start with the museum was nol THE GATHERING OF objects found in Ihe region, but the facllhal this distrikl needed to look upon their history in av new way. When 1 started tu talk about a museum in this area, 1 was told that there was nothing left Ihat could be talked aboui as "musenmlike". They had nothing of eternaI value! So 1 had tu start on a ground level talking about a museum as

au organizer in tbeir mmmouity au organizer tbat wouId briDg tbeir bistory intu tbeir miucIs au orgauizer tbat taugbt people tu Jook upoo tbeir district and their bistory, • and themsettes with _ eyes.

As 1 saw il, Ihe main problem was not thal Ihere were no objects to be found. l'be main obstacle was that

they did DOt Iike the won! MUSEUM ­10 Iheir ears and Iheir mind the word jusl ment something

DOt useable, somethiug tbat was oot or use, something oId tbat ,.,.. had tu ~ rid 01; tbat meant; "DOt tu put in a museum", but garbage tu he put intu a big bole in the grooud or tu he bumt!

Ou the other side: Museum things to their mind were old fashionable things found and gathered in more precious socities •

In Norway: old farro furniture, log cabins with green grass on Ihe roof, rosepainled alebowls and so on.

They had none of these kinds of objects in this dislrict • and Iherefore • there was no use lalking MUSEUM in this ares. And besides: the scorched earth taclies that was used during the last monlh of the Second World War had destroyed almost everything of value, they.told me. What then? and now we are near to the poinl of Ihis conference, as 1 see il, my friends! Namely how museums are emitting their message to society, a message that is moslly communicated Ihrough exhibitions! ls there a message in the way we exhibit our message thal we oversee! Is lhere au uuden:ommunic:atioo in the exhibilions thal overrules what we are really trying to say. Read Ihe papers of Tereza Scheiner! She's aware of this.

48.

lei me go back to the story of North Troms Museum. 1 had 10 slart on lhe ground level and leach people whal museums really are. 1 had 10 build up a new consciousnes aboul whal a MUSEUM can mean 10 people. Whal a Museum really is Iike, not what ordinarry people lhink museums are. 1 started 10 look upon lhe whole society in lhis dislricl as a huge Museum exhibition i.e. THEIR SOCIETY WAS THE EXHIBITION! My main task was 10 build a LINK belween lheir hislory and lomorrow's society. And in conneclion wilh lhis, il was of crucial lnleresl for lhis society of loday • 10 make il c1ear for lhem lhal lhis meanl reSources for lhem 10 use in making their way in lhe fulure. 1be moseum WIIS the _y or exposing this to them! And in lhis process they were nol only lhe spectalors, bul lhe participalors. We started, nollo galher objects from lhe past, bullo use old pholographs, piclures, 10 lind lheir way, and lheir forefalhers' and mOlhers' way lhrough hislory.

Whal WIIS their palb, WIIS theft llOIIIething Idl . aller aIl? WHAT RAD MAN LEFr IN THIS ENVIRONMENTI WAS IT POSSIBLE TO FIND A PATH LEADING FROM THE PAST INTO THE FUTURE? WHAT WAS THE LINK IN THEIR HISTORY?

1 TOLD THEM THAT THIS LINK WOULD BE THE MUSEUM· THEIR MUSEUM! THEY COULD ORGANIZE TIDS LINK THROUGH MUSEUM WORK BY TAKING CARE OF MEANINGFUL THINGS FROM THEIR SOCIETY AND MAKE LESSONS THROUGHOUT EXHIBITIONS AND DISPLAYS

Thus lhey could make il c1ear 10 lbemselves and 10 lheir descendanls whal was the means, the aims, the goals or their rommonity. The museum would be the meeting pIaœ, where lhings were pul iolo people's minds.

This was my way inlo museum lhinking and into lhe museum society: MUSEUMS were THE ORGANIZER and THE LINK in lhe HISTORY OF MAN AND HUMAN LIFE.

Il is vital for people 10 learn 10 look upon lhemselves in lhe contexl of hislory and in the conlexl of environment. The museum was then nol the red, blue or green velvet in the background of an elernal objecl displayed behind a glas frame. The museum was lhe meeting place where missing links oughl 10 be found!

So • What theu? This short slory • or was il to long? is just to tell you of my background, and of course; my jodgemeots will taU a>Ior froID this background!

This meeting here in Switzerland is my first meeting in aoy CORnection with international Museum work, so Pm nol here for lhe leaching, but Pm here to learn more about museum lhinking and how to emit a message 10 a receiver through an exhibition.

And when Peler van Mensch asked me to read your papers in advance, il was a greal opportunily for me to start the prosess of more leaming already in fronl of tbe conference.

Be prvvoIœd me - 50 here are the resoIts or my jodgemeot or your papers!

NO - IT lS NOT LlKE THAT

49.

This is not a competition in c1evernes, but a strive through words to try to get close enough to deal with the reality in the messages of the exhibitions - i.e. trying to analyze the exhibition language -to understand what the museum message will mean to the public and how a museum message can be told to people.

And in that YOU have told me a lot of wonderfullthings already. Your story through the papers are the story of honestnes, c1evernes and creative museum work dealing wilh the main problem of man: How to understand the world? And in that case we ail try to bring disorder into order OR order into disorder? What is conecl? ln Norwegian we have one way of saying this! ln English there is the opposite way! And in that case 1 rememher a very short story to he told; that of a medical factory in Norway which wanted to sell a headache medicin to people in - China - or at least in the far eas!. Il was neccesary to use just three drawings: ODe; that showed the man with the headache, Iwo; the man swallowing the tablet, and lbree; the man with • happy .mile 0Il bis faœ! 1 think il will he of crucial effect for the future response to this medical Iirm's product: How you put this three ligures logether! From Ieft to right or the opposite -y!

And 1 think this will bring us from the message to the language; There will always he a dimension of cultural heritage in any language that you have to deal with. The language of exhibitions have this of course: and then 1 have to ask the odd question: Have museum people told a "museum story" which have, ln many cases, been misunderstood? Has the story of objects exposed in museums, in sorne way, told the story of the "eternal" materialism of man? On the other side; by exposing the beauty of foreign things in European museums: What is the story to he seen in Louvre or in other places? There will always he a message ln any exhibition that will he an untold story, justto he understood by a receiver who will give his assosiations to the objects exposed. Il will almost always depend on his own cultural herritage and that of his society. 1 think you can give any exhibition an ability to communicate with the connotations of a group of people, but there will always he the possibility to he misunderstood.

Reading your papers 1 feel free to say: Do we really put the exhibition language under the magnifying glass by looking atthe semiotics of words? Would it not he wiser to putthis exhibition language in the contexl of the cultural history of the world. And since the museum exhibition language has to he told and understood in the selling of man and his environnement, we have to adaptthe museum exhibition language to the reality of man and what he can understand by seeing objects exposed in a museum contexl. Then we have to take objects from real Iife and put them in exhibitions for the sake of man, for the sake of provoking him to his own reality! That of his steps through history and his environment!

Is then the language Iirst of ail the technical means by which we are able to compose a history in a museum exhibition? Or Is such an exhibition the exhibition of technical means in an artificial selting in a museum?

1 feel that the basic idea must he the question: How can we succeed in bringing the following messages from people to people: The museum is a LINK OF WISDOM in history ln that case museums are taking care of objects bringing them out from society and back to society in order to tell that

a) museums are needed to tell at least sorne truth to people so that they will start thinking of sorne new (or old?) realities:

MAN AND SPACE MAN AND ENVIRONNEMENT MAN AND HERIHIS RESOURCES

50.

b) museums are needed when society is changing so that they can he able to tell people what is happening

c) museums are the provoking of past generations to future man slimulaling bulh his sense or aesthetics, his sense or humor and ir"Ony and the sense or wisdom!

ln doing this we are competeing wllh a now of mass media that has quite aMlher message: forget that liCe has a predictable end and let us have some fun in the meantime and let us gel lost and pay the price of It.

ln thls contex! museums has quile another message 10 expose in Ihe exhibitions: 1be eœmaI Yllioe of the worId and the llIIPenaI Yllioe of man!

How can we leam a language 10 speak wllh, Ihrough exhibitions, when that is the message? or is il nol the message?

You • madame Chairman have written in your paper:

"TO EXPOSE, TO EXPOSE ONESELF, IS TO RUN A RISI{, the rlsk of beeing modified." (Malhilde Bellaigue)

1 agree wlth you, but in my opinion that is the risk • of leaming! 1 took that risk by heing dropped into "your exhibition" here, and by doing so, 1was chosen to he "one objecl exhibited" by saying Oyes" to Peter when he asked me to read the papers, and in that case 1 chose my approach at the conferense for the sake of heing iD the prosess of leaming and for that sake 1 have to ask YOU ALL for AN APOLOGY! Because it is always the possibility of heiDg Iike Narcisus who wanted to mell hls body into the mirror of the water, i.e. to he put into your minds and stay there!

• and that is not a theoretical aproach to the exhibition language, but an emotional one!