They way an exhibition is displayed can create different atmospheres and moods so could the presentation almost be more important that it exhibition itself? Can an exhibition’s success be due to creative presentation and how ‘interactive’ it is or can this take away the focus from what is actually being exhibited?
During a trip to London I visited 3 Fashion related exhibitions, Nick Knight ‘Show Studio’, Norman Parkinson ‘A very British Glamour’ and the fashion gallery at the V&A. These exhibitions were all presented in different ways creating, I felt, 3 very different atmospheres and experiences.
Show studio was all about pushing the boundaries of how fashion is displayed. Nick Knight used technology, lighting and music to create a more interactive exhibition. I found the exhibition exciting and interesting but unfortunately I feel that I possibly missed the point. It was a new innovative way to display fashion
but where was the fashion?! In my view the exhibition was more about how many different ways the subject of fashion could be displayed rather than the fashion itself. Don’t get me wrong, I loved how interactive the displays were and how you were drawn in to even the smallest details but it all came across as an opportunit
y to show off! I left the exhibition with mixed feelings as although I enjoyed my time there wasn’t really sure what it was supposed to be about; Fashion or Display? If it was fashion then I think it was slightly of key and if display was the focus then it was definitely closer to what was achieved The display techniques used, however, could hold an exciting future for exhibitions by drawing new audiences in who wouldn’t necessarily have chosen to go in the past.
At a complete contrast to Show Studio was the Norman Parkinson and V&A fashion gallery exhibition, which themselves were completely different to each other.
The Norman Parkinson exhibition was displayed in very traditional way. The photos were framed and hung in three white walled, light rooms. The atmosphere was quiet with only the sound of people’s shoes against the wooden floor. It gave a very stereotypical image of a traditional exhibition but was this what was needed. The focus was on the beautiful photographs where it should be and left me wanting to see more. To me this exhibition didn’t need technology or music to create interest but could the quietness and stillness come across as uncomfortable. I know many people who would have taken one step in and backed out again without something drawing them in like interesting displays and music. However, could fancy displays really make them more interested in the photography itself.
The last exhibition I saw was the V&A fashion galleries. I could have stayed in this exhibition all day but really that was more about my passion for what was being exhibited and nothing about how it had been displayed. The displays themselves were very basic. The garments were displayed on stands inside glass cabinets. The only lighting was directed at the garments which created an almost eerie atmosphere. Again, like the Norman Parkinson exhibition, it was silent apart from the sound of other people moving around the exhibition.
V&A Fashion galleries
Due to the problems that light can cause to fabric lighting is a hugely important factor to how garments can be displayed. However, the use of lighting could have been more creative and music, wall displays and technology could all have been used to create a more interesting attention catching atmosphere. Prehaps the next step for exhibitions is to bring the innovative display ideas from Nick Knight’s Show Studio and combine them with the traditional ways of displaying objects in an effective way but at the same time ensuring that the focus isn’t taken away from what is being exhibited.
There are pictures from Show Studio and Norman Parkinson in one of my previous blogs.
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