LACMA on Snapchat- an extension of the Exhibitionary Complex?

This week’s reading on the Exhibitionary Complex discussed the evolution of museums and its role as a public institution in a position of power to preserve heritage and educate people about it. The article reminded me of the recent appraisal LACMA received for the activity on its Snapchat account, where reporters discussed the comedic approach museum digital strategists used to engage users with their collections. Below are some of the funny snaps from their account:

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To me, LACMA’s approach to publicity is an extension of the concept of the Exhibitionary Complex. This complex is one that applies not only to museums, but to social media platforms and the desire to build a digital image, reputation and history. In the same way that museums were given a newfound power to “order objects and persons into a world” (pg 98), social media and marketing strategists have immense power to create an image for, and convey information about the organizations they represent. LACMA’s use of slang and humorous references to youth culture arguably made museums more attractive to Snapchat’s young user base, and connected them with the museum’s information economy in an interesting way.

 

In addition, LACMA’s use of Snapchat was a tactic to debunk the myth of fine arts appreciation as time-consuming, irrelevant and inaccessible- while I enjoy visiting museums, several of my friends think it is either boring, too abstract, or something they would simply not prioritize doing on a free afternoon. This reminded me of Bennett’s commentary on the role of exhibitions and events as fulfilling “short term ideological requirements” (93). Although museums have a fixed role and a permanent collection, they are able to make the institution relevant by putting on new exhibitions (for a limited time) that speak to current trends or recent historical events. This allows museums to be part of a larger conversation going on in the area/world. Connecting this to LACMA’s use of Snapchat, I think the move was part of the institution’s recognition of trends in digital communication, and the flexibility the museum had to capitalize on such trends in spite of the traditional purpose they have.

 

Finally, LACMA’s Snapchat move reminded me of Barthes’ remark on the “habitual divorce of seeing and being seen” (97). In the article, Barthes describes the Eiffel Tower as the perfect example to illustrate the technology of vision- the site itself can be a site for a sight. Looking at the Eiffel Tower gives us one view, but visiting the Eiffel Tower gives us a bird’s eye view of Paris that we otherwise might not have access to. In the same way, I think that LACMA’s Snapchat account embodies this dual vision. We view museums as a site for the exercise of cultural capital, but social media strategists are using these traditional pieces to exercise their knowledge of youth slang. Attempting to caption the art so casually and unconventionally puts the art in a different light compared to what we might experience in a museum, and allows us to establish a more personal relationship with art even via our phones.

4 thoughts on “LACMA on Snapchat- an extension of the Exhibitionary Complex?”

  1. I think you’re right that it personalizes the experience, but I wonder if it also compromises the “museum effect.” It seems as though Alpers’s definition requires the viewer to encounter the object one-on-one, with as few mediations and interruptions as possible. Do we care that LACMA is mediating and contextualizing artworks for us?

  2. I have to wonder if this is a disrespectful application of technology. Were these ordinary pieces from a particular culture some would find it rather crass. Is the use of snap-chat actually taking away from the original artists’ intentions? Are we allowed to popularize and modernize pieces for the sake of gaining publicity and having them be seen? It throws into question how sacred the interaction between technology and object is and how some, classical art critics I suppose, might find it distasteful.

  3. I think it is interesting to juxtapose the nature of Snapchat– fleeting, temporary and casual to that of a museum, which is the epitome of art that has withstood time. I think the use of Snapchat does open a huge door into making this more appealing and accessible to a younger demographic. However, like Amy, I do see the possible degradation of the prestige associated with museums and the artifacts within. Does the use of Snapchat in this way provide museum guests with a greater understanding of the art, or does it simply satirize and mocks it in a way that makes art seem like more of a laughing matter?

  4. I think that LACMA’s choice to incorporate contemporary youth “meme” culture is very interesting. While Greenblatt’s article calls for museums to create something that provokes resonance and wonder, I wonder what this fleeting comical mode of expression evokes in viewers. I also feel that it is a weird form of surveillance in the museum where peoples private interactions with the art belong to the institution.

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