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We all have ideas of what a contemporary art museum should be. Those who founded Mudam Luxembourg, for example, envisioned a museum that would encompass many aspects of contemporary culture, such as art, design and architecture. While one believes the museum to be a place for the presentation of modern art, others view it as a showcase for Luxembourgish creation. And some see Mudam as a space for collectivity, for openness, for events and an experimental approach.
In general, what a museum does is to assemble, examine and revise narratives about artworks, artists, times and places. In 2022, ICOM expanded the definition of a museum: ‘A museum is a nonprofit, permanent institution in the service of society that explores, collects, conserves, interprets and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage. Open to the public, accessible and inclusive, museums promote diversity and sustainability. They operate and communicate ethically, professionally and with the participation of communities, offering diverse experiences for education, enjoyment, reflection and knowledge sharing.’
A Model is an exhibition that proposes a reflection on the role of the museum at the beginning of the twenty-first century. It reaffirms the need to think of the institution as a living place, sensitive and receptive to contemporary debates. A Model considers the possibilities that arise when museum collections are reimagined as active and performative environments. A Model brings together more than thirty artists, some to conceive new commissions, some inspired by and in dialogue with works from the collection. And A Model wants to start a conversation about the museum you would like Mudam to be.
The exhibition was inspired in part by artist and activist Palle Nielsen’s project The Model – A Model for a Qualitative Society. First presented at the Moderna Museet in Stockholm in 1968, Nielsen’s exhibition wanted to open the museum by proposing an adventure playground open to all children.
This exhibition is the second chapter of A Model, a three-part project that unfolds from 1 December 2023 to 8 September 2024. It follows A Model: Prelude – Rayyane Tabet. Trilogy and will be concluded by A Model: Epilogue – Jason Dodge. Tomorrow, I walked to a dark black star.