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Designing Museums
Exploring the possibility for a socially engaged graphic design in two museums that are reflecting on how to (re)position themselves in the city they were located in.
During the first six months of 2022 I interned at two different museums. The Stedelijk Museum Schiedam was rebuilding, and I joined their marketing and communication department to help with and learn from re-opening a museum and everything that comes with that. At Boijmans Van Beuningen, I was part of the educational department, mainly situated in Rotterdam South, in De Hillevliet.
Rebuilding museums & the role of graphic design
Internship research
Both institutions were actively thinking about how to (re)position themselves in the city they were located in. With my internship research I wanted to explore what the role of graphic design is in rethinking and working in such institutions, and what it could be.
In the publication called ‘Rebuilding Museums & the role of Graphic Design’ I explain in short how I found that there is this educational shift within museums, and with the anti-institutional moment that we are in they have to radically change their definition of what a museum is; there is a social responsibility within these institutions that is becoming more important. The way graphic design is used however, is not going along with this shift. Designers are hired to slap the museum logo on things, making posters, apps and websites to convince the visitor of the importance of the museum, so it still (visually) communicates with this authoritarian voice. I proposed a more socially engaged practice of graphic design. The projects presented below are examples of how I experimented using graphic design in a museum setting.
In the publication called ‘Rebuilding Museums & the role of Graphic Design’ I explain in short how I found that there is this educational shift within museums, and with the anti-institutional moment that we are in they have to radically change their definition of what a museum is; there is a social responsibility within these institutions that is becoming more important. The way graphic design is used however, is not going along with this shift. Designers are hired to slap the museum logo on things, making posters, apps and websites to convince the visitor of the importance of the museum, so it still (visually) communicates with this authoritarian voice. I proposed a more socially engaged practice of graphic design. The projects presented below are examples of how I experimented using graphic design in a museum setting.
Research publication
Stedelijk Museum Schiedam
Marketing & communication internship
The Stedelijk Museum Schiedam was re-opening after multiple months of renovating, and I was very exited to be part of the marketing and communication department at this time and place. It meant I could help with the re-opening campaign, the city dressing, setting up all the exhibitions, preparing for the big opening day, and doing both online and offline promotion.
This animation is an example of the online promotion. The museum usually promotes their exhibitions with simply the title text in black on white, supported by one image of the artwork. Other promotion material would be made by studios they’d hire.
I proposed a cheaper and faster way of promoting the upcoming exhibition, while still staying within the museum branding. This is an example of how graphic design could be used within museums; in a more playfull manner, not being scared to design outside the branding guidelines and without hiring a creative from outside the museum.
I proposed a cheaper and faster way of promoting the upcoming exhibition, while still staying within the museum branding. This is an example of how graphic design could be used within museums; in a more playfull manner, not being scared to design outside the branding guidelines and without hiring a creative from outside the museum.
For offline promotion of the re-opening, the Stedelijk Museum Schiedam had a collaboration with De Bonte Koe chocolate company were they wanted to create a celebratory chocolate bar.
Instead of slapping the museum logo on the wrapper, I proposed a more interactive design, were the paper around the chocolate bar had a manual on how to fold a party hat on it.
Instead of slapping the museum logo on the wrapper, I proposed a more interactive design, were the paper around the chocolate bar had a manual on how to fold a party hat on it.
Zuid. Boijmans Van Beuningen
Education internship
I wanted to rethink the interactive part in museums. Oftentimes, the participation in an exhibition feels forced, or like an afterthought. In previous presentations at Zuid. Boijmans Van Beuningen, visitors could write something on a sticky note or piece of paper, and put those on the wall behind the exhibition space. When the exhibition was done, the notes were thrown away.
“Three questionmarks in a box” was the title of the exposition that opened on Museumnight at Boijmans Hillevliet. In this exposition, a video work from the Boijmans collection was shown on one side of the room, and on the other side a work by an artist from Rotterdam South. The overarching theme was the (re-)framing of Rotterdam South. One of the pillars of Boijmans Van Beuningen moving to the south of Rotterdam is to question how the museum can be relevant for all the people in its city.
“Three questionmarks in a box” was the title of the exposition that opened on Museumnight at Boijmans Hillevliet. In this exposition, a video work from the Boijmans collection was shown on one side of the room, and on the other side a work by an artist from Rotterdam South. The overarching theme was the (re-)framing of Rotterdam South. One of the pillars of Boijmans Van Beuningen moving to the south of Rotterdam is to question how the museum can be relevant for all the people in its city.
Opening of the exhibition during museumnight 010
How do you engage the audience with the works, make them think about how they frame Rotterdam South themselves, and how do we get valuable reactions and input to further develop the mission of Zuid. Boijmans? I wanted the participatory part of this exhibition to be more engaging and interesting. To do that, a blue rectangle is put in the center of the exhibition, inbetween the work from the Boijmans collection and that of the artist. The viewer stands in the middle of these works, and is asked how they themselves would frame Rotterdam South. By drawing a circle around themselves and drawing, writing or in another way expressing their feelings of and relation to the South they add to the conversation the two artworks are having across the space. Their circle can overlap with other circles. In this way the South is actively reframed together.