I haven't had a Monday Moan for a long time. Not that there hasn't been anything to moan about - au contraire - but somehow I feel moans aren't popular.
However, today please permit me to get cross about kids in art galleries. We went to York Art Gallery to see an exhibition with the theme of art and music. All of the pictures were selected because of the music they evoked. You stood before each picture and tried to imagine the sounds that fitted the scene. But you know how it's trendy now in galleries, museums and stately homes to provide activities for bored kids to do? And they run around making a noise? (And if you don't provide activities they run around anyway, making a noise?) Well in the middle of the gallery they had an amplified xylophone. So all day long some kid or other just went 'PLOONK! PLOONK! PLOONK!' while all the people interested in the art and music had the experience completely spoiled. How could you even think of any music in your head with that going on?
In the next room what did they have in the middle? A great big pile of bricks. So you just got squealing kids going 'CLATTER! CLATTER! CLATTER!' OK, they were on a rug, but when the brick towers collapsed they rolled all over the floor. Hmmmm. Trip and slip risk there. Not good for the old 'elf and safety, is it?
What do I expect in a gallery? Hushed tones and tiptoeing? Well, yes, actually. When we were kids and got taken to galleries, we just had to shut up. If we didn't shut up we couldn't be taken. End of. I expect parents to engage their children, speak to them about the paintings, not just leave them to run around and make a noise. That isn't going to get them interested in art, I don't think.
Anyway by contrast, we went to what would be called an installation by Laura Belem of 1,000 bells. There was a backtrack with the sounds of bells and water and a story being narrated, but the whole place was so hushed and calm after the art gallery bedlam and the busy crowded streets outside. I loved the way the light shone through the glass bells.
Parents don't control their kids in public everywhere you go these days. It's bad enough in the supermarket so an Art Gallery has no chance. I guess because the parents do nothing to control the kids the Art Gallery has to do something to distract the children from touching the art works.
ReplyDeleteHelsie: It's bad, isn't it? If I had a gallery I would be tempted to say that if kids aren't controlled then they will be sent out.
ReplyDeleteIt's even got to the stage with me that if we go into a cafe and I see a table with kids at it I'll just go somewhere else. Or if there's nowhere else, try to sit as far away from them as possible. They just get to run around everywhere they go.