90088 - Collections and Exhibitions: History, Practices and Fruition

Learning outcomes

Historical study of the collections of both "unique" objects and, with the industrial revolution, of mass-produced objects. The porous concepts between the categories of objects as commodities and as semiophores will be investigated. Transformations of the sense of collecting over time will be discussed. Through the reflection on the dynamics of collecting that the different production ways offer, the course discusses how the narratives of memory have been and are now built starting from the collections, mainly through their exposure and mediation with the public

Course contents

Definitions of collecting and collecting.
Ancient and medieval collecting and their exhibition.
Humanist, Renaissance and Baroque collecting: Studies, studioli and wunderkammer.
From the Cabinet of Curiosities to special interest collecting (natural history, science, art).
The 19th century between collecting, exhibitions and national narratives.
The art system.
Industrial (re)production and collecting: merchandise and museological exhibitions.
Museums without collections, exhibitions without museums: the 20th and 21st centuries.
Definitions of exhibition.
Exhibition typologies
Curatorship and curators

Readings/Bibliography

1. Krzystof Pomian, Collezionisti, amatori e curiosi: Parigi-Venezia XVI-XVIII secolo. Il Saggiatore, Milano, 2007. (Capitoli 1 e 2 per gli studenti frequentanti. Per gli studenti non frequentanti si richiede lo studio integrale del testo)
2. Cristina de Benedictis, Per la storia del collezionismo italiano. Fonti e documenti, Milano, Ponte alle Grazie, 2015. (Parte 1 "Per la storia del collezionismo italiano" per gli studenti frequentanti. Per gli studenti non frequentanti si richiede lo studio integrale del testo)
   
3. Elio Grazioli, La collezione come forma d’arte, Cremona, Johan & Levi, 2012.
4. Antonello Negri. L’arte in mostra – una storia delle esposizioni. Milano: Bruno Mondadori, 2011.

A list of further reading suggestion will be inserted on Virtuale.

Teaching methods

Lectures; Discussions and in-depth studies with consolidation material provided during the course. Visits to museums and other exhibition institutions.

Assessment methods

The test consists of an oral interview to assess the knowledge of the topics discussed during the lessons (for those attending) and of the bibliography indicated, and the critical and methodological skills acquired by the student. The following will be assessed: mastery of the contents, ability to synthesise and analyse themes and concepts, ability to express oneself adequately and in language appropriate to the subject matter. The final grade will be based on the overall assessment.
The exam will begin with a presentation of a topic of your choice from those covered, and the exam will continue with at least two further questions set by the teacher.
Two different assessment parameters will be adopted, for attending students and for non-frequenting students.

Attending students
Attendance will influence the final grade by 30%.
In particular, the student's ability to take an active part in the lessons will be assessed; these abilities, combined with the achievement of a thorough understanding of the subject matter covered in the lessons, with the demonstration of a critical sense and with adequate means of verbal expression, will be evaluated with the maximum marks excellent = A (27-30 with honours).
Attendance, combined with a predominantly mnemonic acquisition of the subject matter of the course and verbal expression and logical skills that are not fully satisfactory, will be assessed with marks between good (B = 24-26) and satisfactory (C = 21-23).
Attendance combined with minimal acquisition of the course subject matter and inadequate verbal expression and logical ability will be scored sufficient (D = 18-20).
Lack of minimal acquisition of the course subject combined with inadequate verbal expression and logical ability will be assessed as insufficient (E), even with good attendance.

Non-Attending students

Non attending students will be assessed primarily on their ability to use the bibliography provided to appropriately expound the course content. Demonstration of critical thinking and appropriate means of verbal expression will be assessed with maximum marks excellent = A (27-30 with distinction).

A predominantly mnemonic acquisition of the course material, with verbal expression and logical skills not fully satisfactory, will be assessed with marks between good (B = 24-26) and satisfactory (C = 21-23).

A minimal acquisition of the course subject matter, with inadequate verbal expression and logical ability, will be assessed with a score of sufficient (D = 18-20).

The absence of a minimum acquisition of the course subject combined with inadequate verbal expression and logical ability will be assessed with an insufficient score (E).

 

Teaching tools

Power Point examples and further study; educational visits. Audiovisual materials available on the Internet.

Office hours

See the website of Giulia Crippa