The Museum Director as Gardener
Institutions are human creations. Building and reshaping them requires imagination, experimentation and a tolerance for uncertainty.
The Chazen Museum of Art at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW–Madison) is set to reopen in November, showcasing an innovative approach to presenting its collection. This change in presentation stems from a new direction in museum leadership. In 2021, the author published an op-ed arguing against the traditional view of the director as a singular genius. Now, the author believes that effective museum leadership should combine managerial skills with creativity.
The collection reinstallation, involving over 25,000 works, was achieved through collaboration, experimentation, failure, trust-building, and a core value known as "sifting and winnowing." This concept originates from a 1894 statement by the board of regents, which asserts that UW–Madison should always encourage the fearless "sifting and winnowing" needed to uncover the truth.
The term "sifting" represents arduous manual labor, while "winnowing" signifies directing a current of air to separate valuable items from the worthless ones. However, the path to genuine understanding and usefulness requires diligent effort.
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