Do Selfies Need to Be Banned from Art Museums?
We have to face it: Selfies are part of our culture now. And much as you might hate duckface (like any decent person), you’re probably guilty of pulling a cute mug at a national monument or a friend’s karaoke bar party and immediately uploading it to Instagram to prove to the world that you’re having an awesome time. Admit it. But just because we all occasionally indulge in base activities doesn’t mean that we don’t know when to put our smartphones away and take in a little high class culture every once in a while. Or do we? Apparently, selfie-crazed youth have been upsetting art connoisseurs in the UK — and there’s talk of banning the smartphone self-portrait.
The board members of the UK Arts Council are stuck in a very odd position. On the one hand, they want to get as many people into museums and galleries as possible, have them share and discuss the works they saw, promote on social media, and keep fine art in the 21st century. On the other hand, a couple of 19-year-olds stepping in front of you to snap a goofy photo while you’re trying to sketch a classic Greek sculpture for your art class is pretty annoying. The National Gallery only lifted its ban on taking photos earlier this year, once they realized they really couldn’t stop people from doing it anyway. Free WiFi is available, and it became impossible to distinguish patrons who were researching, and those who were taking pictures. Being adult enough to know when to call it quits, the gallery relented - except when it comes to temporary installations subject to copyright. Seems more than fair.
A full-on ban of selfie photos might bring a similar headache to all museums and galleries. So, Sir Peter Bazalgette, chairman of the Arts Council came up with a reasonable solution of a one-hour ban, per day. Much like English “quiet carriages” on public transit, an hour reprieve is much easier to maintain, and not much to ask for. Camera-happy art lovers can stay out of galleries all together (why don’t you Instagram some pics of your lunch instead?) during that time, and students, dedicated visitors, and anyone who prefers a calm environment, can feel more encouraged to stop in.
It may not be a perfect solution, but at least it’s a good try. If only we could have a “smartphone silence” hour across the board. We wonder how much more we’d see the world around us, appreciate those rare and quiet moments, and maybe, just maybe, be more interesting people.
[Pic via Flickr - Connie Ma]
