Semester
Spring
Date of Graduation
2014
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MA
College
College of Creative Arts
Department
Art History
Committee Chair
Kristina Olson
Committee Co-Chair
Robert Bridges
Committee Member
Kristen Harkness
Abstract
This study is an analysis of contemporary curatorial practice at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, New York. The Guggenheim Museum demonstrates how contemporary museums are updating exhibition practice, despite the difficulties of spatial engagement encountered in Frank Lloyd Wright's building. This thesis presents an analysis of the curator-as-artist, meaning that frequently contemporary curators are acting like artists as they seek to elevate audience engagement. An initial chapter explores how Wright originally conceived the museum as an exhibition space compared to how it is used in current times. Two recent Guggenheim exhibitions, Gutai: Splendid Playground (2013) and James Turrell: A Retrospective (2013) will be used as case studies, allowing an analysis of how the Guggenheim Museum specifically approaches contemporary curatorial practice. The conclusion offers my findings on the Guggenheim Museum and insight on the limitations of this analysis.
Recommended Citation
Goss, Marsha, "The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum's Approach Toward Contemporary Curatorial Practice" (2014). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 456.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/456