Smithsonian American Art Museum Launches "Eye Level" Blog

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Summary

  • The Smithsonian American Art Museum [SAAM] launches its first blog, "Eye Level," [http://eyelevel.si.edu/]. The name "Eye Level" imparts a sense of clarity to which the blog aspires. The name "Eye Level" refers to the physical experience of viewing art, but it also plays on the many roles and perspectives that make a museum a reality-roles that will come into focus here. The title also alludes to works from the museum's collection: to give one example, in the 1820s, it was fashionable to carry a miniature portrait of a lover's eyeball. Using the museum's collection as a touchstone, the conversation at "Eye Level" will be dedicated to American art and the ways in which the nation's art reflects its history and culture. The discussion will extend beyond the walls of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection to include other collections, exhibitions, and events. "Eye Level" will also document the extraordinary collaboration between curators, conservators, handlers, historians, enthusiasts, critics, exhibition and new media designers, and of course bloggers that has motivated the past and present of American art history.
  • "Eye Level" is written and produced by a collaborative team at American Art. It was initiated by Mike Edson, Joanna Champaign, Jeff Gates, and others. "Eye Level" ushered in a new way to constantly update the SAAM web sites with both current information and hidden gems. Blogs quickly became part of a larger and ever-changing outreach to Smithsonian visitors both within SI museums and online.

Subject

  • Edson, Michael
  • Gates, Jeff
  • Champaign, Joanna
  • Smithsonian American Art Museum

Category

Chronology of Smithsonian History

Notes

SI Web masters List Serve, November 29, 2012

Contact information

Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Institution Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu

Date

November 29, 2005

Topic

  • Blogs
  • Social media
  • Museums
  • Museum visitors

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