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A new work, never before published, Museum Legs is an irreverent and witty but also warm and engaging collection of essays—ranging from "First Friday" (a visit to museum parties) to "Revenge of the Homunculus" (a word or two about wall labels).  The essays culminate in "Dumb, Basic Ideas" for what museums might consider doing differently and "Crib Notes for a Museum Visit" (on-the-ground suggestions for museum-going).  The larger, embedded political idea—that boredom is a proxy for disenfranchisement—leads to the real question, not just of how people go to museums, but of how people have a sense of art in their everyday lives, what that art is, and who is making it in the first place.

The project started as "why my friends get bored in art museums and why that matters."  The reason it matters is that museums are an insulated judiciary in a larger visual culture.  The reason people were getting bored or tired was that what museums are doing now—competing with movies and amusement parks and competing with leisure activities—is to the side of their higher purpose. No matter how much you shine a strobe light on a van Gogh, it won't be a reality television program.  Relative to the leisure industry—and the fact we live in one of the most visual cultures of all time—museums are a little like the person on the soccer field who is going to where the ball is instead of staying open for the pass.

Project Notes:
The author has an MFA and MBA and years of work experience in art museums.  The project exists currently as a full-length manuscript.  It is estimated that two additional chapters would be written.  The author is particularly interested in finding a dynamic and talented editor to help shape the final work.

The Project Team (Contact ):

• Author & Project Manager: Amy Whitaker
  
• Editor: apply
• Publicist: apply
• Designer: apply
• Bookstore Sponsor: apply