National Gallery

Have you ever wondered what it's like to go inside a museum to understand how it works? Have you considered the meetings, the conversations, and sometimes mundane specifics of such environments, including the installation and preservation of paintings, and the conservation and education efforts in presenting art? Frederick Wiseman's film National Gallery tours one of Britain's top museums and accesses a professional community that displays common industry obligations--budgets, programming, exhibition display, etc.

In the theater, I felt like I was returning to safe place of paintings, docents, and art history. I was the first person sitting in my seat, several people joined me, and unfortunately, I was the last person to remain. The three hour film put me in a museum ecstasy, but it also unintentionally confronted the fundamental problem that all museums face--it's hard to capture the attention of modern audiences. Where I see contemplative refuge, others see stagnant images with echoes of footsteps. The film had no narration, no plot, no explanation. It's one thing to 'lift the veil' of such institutions, but it's completely different and more interesting to analyze how and why museums continue to be captivating.  

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