In the frontier of the exhibition scene, a significant phenomenon is observed that a contemporary artistic staging practice, called scenography, has grew out from the theatre context and keeps expanding its influence in the exhibition context in recent time. Scenography has been acting as a transformative force to reform the traditional exhibitionary complex, and consequently, this has led to an unprecedented intersection where scenography meets contemporary curating, which further informs a radical ideological shift. This paper aims to exploit a new land of discussion to look into this intersection between scenographic practice and contemporary curating, its mergence and the subsequent revolution it has caused.
By seeing museums and exhibition spaces as metaphorical stages, it fundamentally reconfigures the infrastructure of curating practices, in terms of a shift in authorship, architectural embodiment of ideas, field of experience, layered narrative, dramaturgy and the hybrid expressions of new media. Three case studies will demonstrate scenography’s wide-ranged capacities and various methodologies in dealing with contemporary issues. Cases include: BMW Museum (Reopened in 2008), Cultures of the World (Opened in 2010) and Leonardo’s Last Supper: A Vision by Peter Greenaway (2008, 2010). Respectively, they prove scenography's overarching influence of acting as a brandscape, as a site of cultural mediation and as interference and discourse. The whole discussion cuts through major discourses in the field, both responding to the increasing awareness of the notion of staging experiences in the rise of experience economy, and the expanding notion of curating, in parallel.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Section 1 Critical Analysis : The Deadlock of Conventional Exhibitionary Culture
Section 2 The Phenomenon of Expanding Scenography : Its Potentials to Reform Exhibition-making
Section 3 Scenography in Exhibition Context : The Intersection, Mergence and Reformation
Section 4 Scenography and Curating the Contemporary
4.1 Scenographer as Author : Redefining Curatorial Strategies
4.2 Architectural Structure : Embodiment of Ideas
4.3 Field of Experience : Transformative Process
4.4 Layered Narrative : Multiple Viewpoints
4.5 Dramaturgy : Orchestration and Directing
4.6 New Media : Hybrid Expressions
Section 5 Case Studies
5.1 Case Study 1 : BMW Museum (Reopened in 2008) - Scenography as Brandscape
5.2 Case Study 2 : Cultures of the World (Opened in 2010) - Scenography as a Site of Cultural Mediation
5.3 Case Study 3 : Leonardo’s Last Supper: A Vision by Peter Greenaway (2008, 2010) - Scenography as Interference and Discourse
Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This dissertation examines how the expanding field of scenography acts as a transformative ideological force within contemporary curating, addressing the crisis of traditional exhibitionary systems by reconfiguring spatial narratives and visitor experiences.
- The integration of theatrical staging techniques in exhibition design.
- The shift in curatorial authorship and the move toward transdisciplinary practices.
- The use of architectural structures and new media as tools for meaning-making.
- The transition from didactic, object-oriented displays to immersive, experience-based narratives.
- Critical analysis of scenography’s role in bridging historical art and contemporary discourse.
Excerpt from the Book
4.2 Architectural Structure : Embodiment of Ideas
Prior to further discussing various scenographic strategies and tools in exhibition-making, there is a very important premise to be recognized in the first place. As in Howard’s words, ‘[u]nderstanding scenography starts with understanding the potential of the empty [...] space’ 86, while scenographer Kathleen Irwin also resonated with this idea and asserted that scenographers are professionals capable of ‘recogniz[ing] the intrinsic aesthetic value of a location’ 87. In this sense, to scenographers, as authors in staged exhibitions, the notion of exhibition space is not a container of concept ideas but rather an embodiment of them. They created a site of complex narrative where contents would be inscribed all over the constructed space. The architecture and structure as a whole framework, thus, has gone beyond a mere surface design and becomes an important apparatus to synthesize all elements in the scenographic exhibitions. This could be considered to be a breakthrough from conventional notion of curating. As curator Dr. Vince Dziekan asserted, the spatial translation of the curatorial philosophy are addressed through the form of the exhibition. Aligned with these conceptual concerns are higher-level dialectical objectives expressed through the act of exposition, such as design strategies pertaining to context, exhibition design and scenographic effect. 88
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the growing discourse on the "expanding notion of curating" and the emergence of scenography as a response to the traditional limitations of exhibitionary culture.
Section 1 Critical Analysis : The Deadlock of Conventional Exhibitionary Culture: Discusses the identity crisis and structural stagnation of traditional museums, applying Foucault’s theories of space and power to reveal the limitations of the "exhibitionary complex."
Section 2 The Phenomenon of Expanding Scenography : Its Potentials to Reform Exhibition-making: Traces the evolution of scenography from its theatrical roots to an autonomous, transdisciplinary design practice capable of spatial reformation.
Section 3 Scenography in Exhibition Context : The Intersection, Mergence and Reformation: Details the practical integration of scenographic methods into major international exhibitions, highlighting the shift toward dramatic-narrative spaces.
Section 4 Scenography and Curating the Contemporary: Investigates the specific methodologies—authorship, architectural structure, experience, narrative, dramaturgy, and new media—that constitute the new scenographic curatorial paradigm.
Section 5 Case Studies: Presents three diverse examples—BMW Museum, Cultures of the World, and Leonardo’s Last Supper—to demonstrate how scenographic strategies address complex curatorial challenges.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, arguing that scenography serves as a vital transformative force that enables a fundamental reformation of contemporary curating practices.
Keywords
Scenography, Contemporary Curating, Exhibition-making, Staging, Dramaturgy, Spatial Narrative, Brandscape, Cultural Mediation, New Media, Museum Architecture, Transdisciplinary, Experience Economy, Performative Space, Authoring of Space, Exhibitionary Complex.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this dissertation?
The work focuses on how scenography—traditionally a theatrical practice—is being adopted and adapted to transform the ideological and structural landscape of contemporary museum exhibitions.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the shift in curatorial authorship, the transition from didactic displays to experience-based staging, the use of architecture as an embodiment of ideas, and the incorporation of new media in spatial communication.
What is the research goal?
The primary goal is to examine how scenographic methodologies can revitalize the "ailing" conventional exhibition system and address the contemporary crisis of curatorship.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The research employs a qualitative approach, combining critical literature reviews with a detailed analysis of three contemporary case studies to showcase scenographic applications.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main sections analyze the deadlock of traditional exhibition culture, the evolution of scenography as an independent field, and the specific strategies used by scenographers to reconfigure exhibition spaces and narratives.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Scenography, contemporary curating, spatial narrative, dramaturgy, exhibition design, and museum reform are central to the study.
How is the "exhibitionary complex" reinterpreted here?
The author interprets the traditional exhibitionary complex through Foucault’s lens, arguing that static, text-based displays represent a rigid, didactic system that needs to be "opened up" through scenographic intervention.
How does the author define the new paradigm of authorship?
The author argues for a handover of authority from traditional scholars to scenographers, who act as "authors of constructed situations" rather than mere decorators, enabling a more holistic and immersive curatorial approach.
What is the significance of the "house of design" in the BMW Museum case study?
It demonstrates a vertically cohering three-floor narrative that replaces traditional wall labels with spatial movements and kinetic sculptures, effectively communicating brand philosophy through movement and space.
How does the Leonardo’s Last Supper case study illustrate "interference"?
It shows how contemporary cinematic projections are used to "interfere" with a historical masterpiece, creating a dialogue that challenges the concept of an "original" artwork and engages audiences in a new visual literacy.
- Citation du texte
- Margaret Choi Kwan Lam (Auteur), 2013, Scenography as New Ideology in Contemporary Curating and the Notion of Staging in Exhibitions, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/266349
