The aim of this paper is to examine the changes of museum in postmodern era focusing on museum space as context and the industrialization, popularization of museum. The modern museum on the principles of modern art pursued the autonomy of art, and tri...
The aim of this paper is to examine the changes of museum in postmodern era focusing on museum space as context and the industrialization, popularization of museum. The modern museum on the principles of modern art pursued the autonomy of art, and tried to draw the line between art and life. It was designed for the artwork to be isolated from everything that would detract from its own evaluation of itself. The outside world must not come in, so windows were sealed off. Walls were painted white. According to the principles of mdern art, modern museum transposed the perception from life to formal values of artwork. But the postmodern museum is grounded on the principles of postmodern art coping with modern art. First, it emphasizes the museum space which influences the meaning of artwork. It is from the thought that the meaning of artwork is not determined by itself but by the relation of artwork and the external - place, social and cultural context etc. This point is explained through the theory of Brian O’Doherty in this paper. Another characteristic of postmodern museum results from the critical mind that modern art and museum alienated the masses from the apprehension of artwork exaggerating formal values. Therefore postmodern museum focuses on the reunification of art and life, communication with the masses, and management skills of museum. This thought is coincided with expanded industrialization in late capitalistic society, and is connected with industrialization and popularization of museum. I explore this point on the base of the theory of Rosalind Krauss. Investigating those aspects of postmodern museum, I suggest as conclusion that those changes of postmodern museum are not imperative, but must be recieved as supplementing the weakness of modern museum.