Since we’ve been thinking about the ways that histories of graphic design are constructed, let’s take a look at how influential institutions, like museums and universities, build their collections of primary source objects. We’ll start this discussion by considering an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art called The African Origin of Civilization.
- First, read Holland Cotter’s review of the African Origin of Civilization exhibit. This article was published by the New York Times in 2022, when the exhibit opened.
- Then, think about the following questions:
- Why was this exhibit, The African Origin of Civilization, created?
- What do you see as some possible solutions to this problem?
- Do you think this is a useful or effective organization for the exhibit?
- What are the problems with considering visual culture from one part of the African continent “high” art and visual culture from another part of the continent “primitive” art? What is the history behind this distinction in the Metropolitan Museum?
- What is the writer of this article calling for the Museum to do differently in their approach to creating exhibits?
- If you were tasked with creating an exhibit from the collection of works from the African continent that the Metropolitan museum has, how would you organize it?
- Next, write a letter to the museum director, outlining your suggestions.
