Museum as Display, On Display

Museum as Display, on Display

Samuel Murnane 640481

Acknowledgment This projects was developed on the stolen lands of the Wurundjeri Wol Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land and pay my respects to their elders, past, present and emerging.

Studio 02 Triplicate Striling + Ca’ Corner Della Regina Studio Leaders: Scott Woods Kim Võ Luigi Alberto Cippini Alexei Haddad

Table of Contents

4

Way Finding Plans

5 Prologue

6 Interview 8 Material 14 Works 46

Appendix, Objects

58

Appendix, Museum

62

Critics Review

63

Notes

78

Knowledge Bank

Way Finding

Piano Primo Secondo

Piano Primo Nobile

Internal Gallery Utility Space Secondary Space

4

Piano Terra

Prologue Understanding the museum through James Stirling is phenomenal, his potent approach to design and reference permeates his architecture to the point where his selections of reference and iteration become the very surface skin of his buildings.

To approaching the Ca’ Corner with a attitude of delaminating the surface without completely veneering over the existing frescos, a tectonic approach was necessary. Sterling describes the galleries of the Clore Tate Britain as a series of buildings, instead of a series of rooms. If this approach is to It is the application of selection, be utilized in the Ca’ Corner building, curation, and inversely, exclusion of it would have to be sympathetic to the pieces that is so relevant to a critique existing structure. The obstruction of of museology. The museum as we existing structure and new tectonic have come to understand it is purely element create a third result, an the application of selection to a interiority and exteriority, entirely surface. The museum is presented as contained within the envelope of the a survey that contributes or presents building. a sense of ownership to the viewer, when intern it is actually an execution The ability to ambulate behind a work, of retouching and reframing works to discover and see the apparatus and collections. of the space and of the building fractures the surface relationship the The Ca’ Corner Della Regina isn’t white cube conventionally has. It also inherently a museum, it started allows for inhabitation of the building, life as a house and migrated its not as it used to be, but in a entirely context through to its current state new civic sense. as Fondazione Prada gallery. This inherent otherness gives Ca’ Corner the opportunity to be somewhat immune to the apparatuses of the contemporary museum framework.

The Ca’ Corner is also so heavily ornamented which presents a contextual dichotomy when introducing new work into the building.

5

Interview

Conducted by Sharon Ho with Samuel Murnane

SH. What did you find most challenging when working with Stirling’s material from the CCA archive?

SM. it was difficult to navigate the overwhelming collection and see a clarity that would respond to my interesting around the Ca’ Corner building. While Stirling is incredible, he has a completely different language to that of the venetian condition. I was reading into his responses and influences heavily, but it was also difficult to see where some of the work originated and, equally, where it ended up.

SH. Do you think Stirling is still relevant for contemporary discourse? If yes, why? If no, why?

SM. Yes, Of course, everything is relevant, no? With Stirling comes a trove of archive material that is so indicative of his time, but also the shifting interest of western architectures lens as it shifted from modernism to postmodernism, and technology.

6

SH. What are the challenges of thinking about the museum beyond a container for art? What is exhibited and what does the exhibiting in your museum project?

Is it that simple?

SM. Now is the time we must think about the museum and gallery beyond simply housing art the most.

Museums have a lot of baggage concerning their collections, which contain stolen items from cultures around the world. The traditional lens of a head curator selecting and presenting a survey of works and objects must now be inverted and the apparatus of the museum itself must be exposed, politically and architecturally.

SH. What are the challenges you have encountered when working with the Ca’Corner building?

E.g. the Venetian context, the architectural ornamentation, the spatial structure, etc. How did that challenge inform your approach to the museum?

SM. Well the Ca’Corner was traditionally a home and has then migrated through many iterations.

The building is ..wobbly for lack of a better term, and of course heavily

ornamented. Now, due to those challenges I could have ignored the walls and reiterated them as perfectly straight, but they gave an obstruction of richness and realness that actually informed the development of the work.

On Exhibition SH. Considering the role of technology in exhibition design, is this a concern for your design? If so, in what capacity?

SM. Yes, engaging with the Ca’ Corner tectonically and technologically was hugely important.

As I previously said, it used to be a home and thus not built to house a collection of artwork or protect them or itself against the elements.

Designing a technology for the Ca’ Corner was indistinguishable and fundamental in designing a space to exhibit.

SH. Does this idea of exhibition or display technology change your conception of museum architecture?

the Pompadour Center but revealing its armatures and apparatuses is a kin to allowing a patron a peak behind the curtain, and in this, a sense of ownership over the materials.

On (the) Future SH. How would you describe an architecture that exists solely inside the museum? How is that architecture different to architecture that exists outside the museum?

SM. The architecture of a museum is specific, as is all architecture, so of course anything that sits within the museum has a relationship to what is outside it, whilst also being autonomous.

SH. Has your project for a museum changed your position or attitude to architecture more generally? If yes, how?

l have always had a proclivity towards an architecture that gives a sense of ownership back to the public, for, a building does not exist solely for the SM. Museum technology is inevitable, architect who designs it. So, yes, this project has reinforced that necessity and we are past a point of hiding it away. Instead we are moving towards to dismantle and question certain programmatic norms. embracing it, maybe not as much as

7

Material

Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart, Germany, 1978, Columns

8

9

Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart, Germany, 1978, Wall Whimsy

10

11

Clore Gallery, Tate Britain, London 1980-85, Ceiling

12

13

Works

B

CALLE CORNER DELLA REGINA

RICEZIONE

CORTILE

A

ASCENSORE PUBBLICO

CALLE DELLA ROS

A

B

Pian

Piano

14

C

D

CLOAK ROOM

CANAL

A

E

GRAND

C

no Terra

Terra

D

0

1

0

1

10

5

10m

15

B

CALLE CORNER DELLA REGINA

CORTILE

A

ASCENSORE PUBBLICO

CALLE DELLA ROS

A

B

Piano P

Piano Prim

16

Primo Nobile

mo Nobile

C

D

A

C

D

0

0

1

1

10

5

10m

17

B

CALLE CORNER DELLA REGINA

CORTILE

A

ASCENSORE PUBBLICO

CALLE DELLA ROS

A

B

Piano Pr

Piano Prim

18

rimo Secondo

mo Secondo

C

D

A

C

D

0

1

0

1

10

5

10m

19

Piano Quarto Sottotetto R4-01

+2448 cm

Piano Terzo R3-01

+2104 cm

Piano Secondo Nobile

Carol Rama Spazio anche Plu Che Tempo 1970 890x800mm

R2-01

+1560 cm

Piano Primo Nobile

Gene Beery, Out of Style, 1961 965x1220 mm

R1-01

+875 cm

Piano Secondo Ammezzato RM-02

+ 544 cm

Piano Terra R0-01

-16

Sectio Museum as disp

Sectio Museum as disp

20

Jim Shaw Hand Impaled by Knife with Melting Watch 2020 760x1015mm

Gene Beery, Watch This Canvas 1960 915x122 mm

Pino Pascall Lettera 1964 690x300mm

on AA play, on display

Gene Beery, This is My Last Serious Painting 1960 610x1220 mm

on AA play, on display

Gene Beery As Long As There Are Walls There Will Be Paintings!

1986 360x455mm

Jim Shaw 2020 305x 405 mm

John Baldessari 1966 1720x144mm

0

1

0

10

1

5

10m

21

Piano Quarto Sottotetto R4-01

+2451 cm

Piano Terzo R3-01

+2127 cm

Piano Secondo Nobile R2-01

+1579 cm

Piano Primo Nobile R1-01

+899 cm

Piano Secondo Ammezzato RM-02

+ 542 cm

Piano Terra R0-01

- 10 cm

Sect A space for museum in fron

Secti Museum as dis

22

Louise Lawler Silver dye bleach print 2011 787x756mm

tion BB nt, a place for viewing behind

ion BB splay, on display

0

1

0

10

1

5

10m

23

Piano Quarto Sottotetto R4-01

+2449 cm

Piano Terzo R3-01

+2125 cm

Piano Secondo Nobile

Boris Lurie NO-ON 1962 650x725mm

R2-01

+1580 cm

Piano Primo Nobile R1-01

+899 cm

Piano Secondo Ammezzato RM-02 + 548 cm

Piano Terra R0-01

- 6 cm

Sectio Enfilade o

Sectio Enfilade o

24

on CC of Vitrines

on CC of Vitrines

Sturtevant, Johns Flag 1966 340x440mm

0

1

0

10

1

5

10m

25

Piano Quarto Sottotetto R4-01

+2451 cm

Piano Terzo R3-01

+2127 cm

Piano Secondo Nobile

Monika Baer In Reserve 1918 1830x1120mm

R2-01

+1579 cm

Piano Primo Nobile

Boris Lurie Untitled (NO Sprayed) 1963 560x520mm

R1-01

+899 cm

Piano Secondo Ammezzato RM-02

+ 542 cm

Piano Terra R0-01

- 10 cm

Sectio Rooms within roo

Sectio Rooms within roo

26

Jean Frederic Schnyder Bild 2005 580x695mm

Henry Flynt Down With Art 1968 1050x275mm

on DD oms, as buildings

on DD oms, as buildings

Henry Flynt and Jack Smith protesting at the Museum of Modern Art, Newyork Tony Conrad 1963 1000x1000mm

0

1

0

10

1

5

10m

27

Behind the Vitrines, sto

28

orage, reflection seating

29

30

Ca’Corner and pho Henry Flynt and Jack Smith p Moden Art, New Y

otograph on display protesting at The Museum of York, Feb 27,1963

31

32

Vitrine, Surface, C

Ca Corner, Venice

33

34

Economy

y of parts

0

.5

1m

35

Appara Surface, ligh

36

atus 1 ht, theatre

0

1

2m

37

Appara Back light, Venice, De

38

atus 2 emolish Art Museums

0

1

2m

39

Appar The Archive, ut

40

ratus 3 tility, cable trays

0

2

4m

41

Appa New o

42

aratus 4 ornament

0

3m

43

Appa A datu

44

aratus 5 um shift

0

1

2m

45

Appendix Objects

OBJECT 1 Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart, Germany, thinness of mass and Ca’ Corner della Regina Junction of Arches 46

47

A Junction with Delaminated Surfaces.

48

49

OBJECT 2 Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart, Germany, wall whimsy and Ca’ Corner della Regina Access Holes 50

51

Stacked stone, water, chromed pins, soundproof panels, direction of sight and sound.

52

53

OBJECT 3 Clore Gallery Ceiling and Ca’ Corner Della Regina plaster relief 54

55

Steel framed plaster casts, a selection of ornament cast in relief, black perspex, reflection, void.

56

57

Appendix Museum

58

59

60

61

Critical Review Written by Betty Liu

The exhibition design of Stop Painting

by Sam Murnane is a celebration of architecture of interior spaces, display technology and aesthetical industrial design within the Ca’ Corner building.

The exhibition design brings a critique of museology. It attacks the traditional singular approach of artworks – only from the front. Instead, it provides a duo opportunity for visitors to view and ponder art objects and the exhibition apparatus/ device both from the front and from the back, which is a unique experience for visitors. In this process, reflection plays a significant role in creating illusional depths of the interior space of the Ca’ Corner Building and thus gives visitors an alternative reading of the exhibition, apparatus and the Ca’ Corner building. The exhibition design was influenced by James Stirling’s design method to create rooms within rooms and to force rooms to act as buildings.

light conditions such as backlight, front projection, specular reflection and diffuse reflection. I especially found it a very intriguing moment when the original architectural ornamentations and frescoes of the Ca’ Corner building are reflected on the exhibition apparatus and can be read and understood in conjunction with the artworks from Stop Painting. In addition, the public elevators that travel from Piano Terra to Piano Terzo and the continuous glass panels (shown in the drawing Section AA) will bring the viewers a very consistent and coherent visiting experience. A minor issue is that the arrival experience from the Grand Canal and the Calle Della Rosa could be further addressed by engaging with the exhibition apparatus. I suppose it might help bring the museum closer to its Venetian context.

From a public viewer’s point of view, the execution of the above-mentioned architectural narrative is in no doubt successful. The creation of a binary visiting experience from both the front and back of the exhibition is very well delivered, as evident in the plans and isometric drawings. Detailed attention has been paid to the visitor’s interactive experience with various 62

Notes

63

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77

Knowledge Bank

Helmut Lang Boutique, New York Gluckman Mayners Architects

78

Thomas Demand, Palazzo Pitti Caruso st John

Thomas Demand, Palazzo Pitti Caruso st John

79

Marcel Duchamp The Large Glass

Kersten Geers David Van Severen Notary office

Gerhard Richter Eight Grey 80