Verified Document

Museums Hamburger Bahnhof And The Term Paper

As a matter of fact, many of the more important names of German art from the last few years are noticeably absent from the exhibition spaces. In the words of Forster-Hahn, writing shortly before the Museum's opening in 1996: Amid increasingly fervent discourse on the possibility or impossibility of nationhood in the postmodern world, the vast space of the reconstructed railroad station installed with works by artists such as Joseph Beuys - but also with the flickering images of Nam June Paik - does not conjure up allusions to a static, permanent staple of art. Here, trains and railroad station come to signify mobility and connections, and seem to contradict the very idea of a national gallery. The National Gallery's new project therefore evokes the vision of a museum in a global rather than in a national context, producing a new narrative for the architecture of the railroad station as well as for the art it contains (Forster-Hahn 1996, 96).

This brings us to our next discussion: the unusual architecture of the Hamburger Bahnhof. As the museum's name reminds us ("Bahnhof" means "train station" in German), the Hamburger Bahnhof was not constructed for use as a museum. Rather, it was initially constructed in the mid-19th century to serve as the terminal for the Hamburg-Berlin railway line. The refurbishment of the building to suit the museum's purposes has purposefully retained several traces of its previous purpose, most notably in the form of the monolithic main hall that strikes visitors upon entering; this is where the trains would have arrived and departed. Thus, Forster-Hahn's description of the project is certainly apt in its description of Hamburger Bahnhof's architectural challenge to the classical museum model.

Duncan (1995) has claimed that museums constructed in the 19th and 20th century were deliberately meant to resemble ceremonial monuments such as temples and palaces. Such a model, we may assume, works to reinforce the effects of the type of artwork that is shown inside - "classical" artwork works best in "classical"...

In this sense, the Hamburger Bahnhof hardly fits the classic museum model; in fact, it poses a serious challenge to it - as most of the art it shows poses a challenge to the art historical canon. Neither the exterior nor the interior of the Hamburger Bahnhof is in the least bit palatial, as its structure dates back to the origins of Modernism in art and architecture. While it is certainly true that some train stations in Europe feature classical facades, the interiors of most of the train stations have been upgraded to fit in with the dynamics of the 21st century, and have effectively lost most traces of their origins. The Hamburger Bahnhof maintains a trace of its past - but just a trace. With the exception of the entrance hall, the rest of the interior has been renovated to put the museum in line with the late 20th century model of the "white cube" exhibition space.
In its acknowledgment and refutation of the classic museum model, the Hamburger Bahnhof serves as a vital space for the exhibition of 20th and 21st century art in a period of globalization - and the increasing number of uncertainties that accompany it. It reinforces current theoretical notions of the transitory, fleeting nature of art and artists in the 21st century, while acknowledging the past as a spatio-temporal framework from which both present and future ultimately stem.

Works Cited

Duncan, Carol. 1995. The Art Museum as Ritual. In the Art of Art History: A Critical

Anthology, ed. Donald Preziosi, 473-485. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.

Forster-Han, Francoise. Shrine of Art or Signature of a New Nation? The National

Gallery(ies) in Berlin, 1848-1968. In the Formation of National Collections of Art and Archaeology, ed. Gwendolyn Wright, 79-100. Washington: National Gallery of Art.

McClellan, Andrew. 1996. Nationalism and the Origins of the Museum in France. In the Formation of National Collections of Art and Archaeology, ed. Gwendolyn Wright, 29-40. Washington: National Gallery of Art.

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited

Duncan, Carol. 1995. The Art Museum as Ritual. In the Art of Art History: A Critical

Anthology, ed. Donald Preziosi, 473-485. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.

Forster-Han, Francoise. Shrine of Art or Signature of a New Nation? The National

Gallery(ies) in Berlin, 1848-1968. In the Formation of National Collections of Art and Archaeology, ed. Gwendolyn Wright, 79-100. Washington: National Gallery of Art.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Museum Displays of "Non-Western" Art Are Qualitatively
Words: 1009 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

Museum Displays of "non-Western" art are qualitatively different from those displaying art that does not come from Europe or North America. Art from places deemed "exotic," or "primitive" tends to be displayed and perceived as anthropological items and indicators of culture. The conceptual arts and "art for art's sake" is frequently denied to non-Western societies. Moreover, the art of places like Oceania is sometimes referred to more as "artifact," versus "art."

Museum Comparison Art Museums the Metropolitan Museum
Words: 1321 Length: 3 Document Type: Term Paper

Museum Comparison Art museums The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is one of the most famous art museums in the world. The idea for a large museum located in the city of New York was first formulated in 1866 when the statesman John Jay resolved to create a place to house America's great art collections in a central urban area. By the 20th century, the Museum achieved Jay's goal

Museum As a Medium
Words: 2787 Length: 10 Document Type: Research Paper

Museums as a Medium Museums can be characterized as a place which is basically a store and an exhibit of cultural, historical, scientific or artistic objects which people can often visit to enjoy and take pleasure in. This trend of the establishment of the museums came about way back in the Renaissance when people started taking pleasure in such unique talents and expressed themselves through various mediums like writing, drawing, painting,

Museum Event & Experience in the Early
Words: 896 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

Museum Event & Experience In the early 1900's, Henry Flagler built a 75-room, 100,000 square-foot home that was used as a Palm Beach winter retreat for his family. Gatherings at the residence -- known as Whitehall -- were an establishing force of the Palm Beach season for wealthy families during the Gilded Age. Flagler died roughly 100 years ago, and subsequent years saw the residence and grounds become a National Historic

Museum Methods
Words: 5430 Length: 17 Document Type: Term Paper

Museum Methods museum is usually a non-profit organization with intent to provide education and enlightenment by the organized collection, preservation, interpretation and exhibit of items deemed to be of interest to the public or community. Historically, museums have evolved as collaborative projects to house collected works gathered for the appreciation of the current and future generations in our society. However, such definitions cannot be regarded as the last word on

Museum Budget Cuts One-Page Memo
Words: 1877 Length: 4 Document Type: Term Paper

Rank VI personnel: senior technician; supervisory staff, chief technician, assistant to specialists, 1 senior secretary, graduate trainee. Rank VII personnel Senior clerical staff technician senior clerk, senior switchboard, security supervisor. A junior trainee mgrs. Keeping only Sr. switchboard, Jr. trainee mgrs Skilled grade: craftspersons salaries clerk computer operator security men. Keeping 1 craftsperson, salaries clerk, and 3 security guards Semi-Skilled Grade: general driver general clerk typist/receptionists. Entertainment and publicity budget Limited events with volunteer help, donated food, drink and entertainment Total Employees Before = 55) After cuts) 34 Total

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now