Lunch Lecture Review: The Palmbook
Rather than taking their places on the specially-constructed podium, Heiderose Hildebrand and Eva Sturm chose to sit on the stairs in order to be on the same level as the audience. At Friday‘s lunchlecture, the two art mediators presented their 16 year-old Palm Book. Due to its enduring popularity among experts, this teaching aid for museum education and art mediation from 1991 has just been reprinted in a revised edition.
The two authors confessed to a slight degree of apprehension at having to re-read and revise the book, which was originally published some 16 years ago. And they spoke of their surprise when they discovered that no changes were necessary. Virutally identical to the first Palm Book, the contents have lost nothing of their topicality and relevance in the intervening period.
Eva Sturm was a member of Heiderose Hildebrand‘s team which at the time was also engaged at the Museum für Moderne Kunst in Vienna (MUMOK) when they first thought of writing small text book for education and art mediation in museums. In simple, accessible language the books eruditely sets out its arguments and proposals for breaking down the usual inhibitions associated with the museum as an institution. It owes its title, the Palm Book, to Heiderose Hildebrand’s and Eva Sturm’s decision to leaven the rather dry text for readers with drawings of palms. The illustrations are part of a collection by the media theorist Christoph Eiböck who over a number of decades has been asking people he encounters in his daily life – be it on the tram, at the snack bar or at a concert – to draw palms for him. This collection of sketches perfectly reflects the various creative opportunities offered by the palm and also serves as a metaphor: The variety of visual concepts of a palm highlights the diversity of perspectives from which an art work can be viewed. As Heiderose Hildebrand commented insightfully: “People often think that they are drawing THE palm, but, of course, there is no such thing as THE palm!“
Eva Sturm was a member of Heiderose Hildebrand‘s team which at the time was also engaged at the Museum für Moderne Kunst in Vienna (MUMOK) when they first thought of writing small text book for education and art mediation in museums. In simple, accessible language the books eruditely sets out its arguments and proposals for breaking down the usual inhibitions associated with the museum as an institution. It owes its title, the Palm Book, to Heiderose Hildebrand’s and Eva Sturm’s decision to leaven the rather dry text for readers with drawings of palms. The illustrations are part of a collection by the media theorist Christoph Eiböck who over a number of decades has been asking people he encounters in his daily life – be it on the tram, at the snack bar or at a concert – to draw palms for him. This collection of sketches perfectly reflects the various creative opportunities offered by the palm and also serves as a metaphor: The variety of visual concepts of a palm highlights the diversity of perspectives from which an art work can be viewed. As Heiderose Hildebrand commented insightfully: “People often think that they are drawing THE palm, but, of course, there is no such thing as THE palm!“
The book presentation itself was fairly brief, with little of its contents being unveiled by the end. Rather than giving a lecture – and in keeping with their art mediation methodology, Heiderose Hildebrand and Eva Sturm prefer to initiate stimulating debate and seek a dialogue with the audience. However, after having fielded a few questions from the floor, the two authors began to relate of their experiences and reflect upon art mediation at documenta 12. The subsequent discussion revealed that they feel a strong affinity with the mediation team, and Eva Sturm detailed her admiration for the art mediation practiced at documenta 12: “I’ve gained the impression that we are witnessing a continuation of something which was first started in the Palm Book. They work in small groups on the basis of mutual dialogue in specially designed rooms, deploying a diverse range of methods - and there is more time than usual. The focus is on people, on forging a carefully differentiated and differentiating discourse and on the production of knowledge and criticism – there are palm groves for contemplation and communication.” Heiderose Hildebrand added that the projects are far broader in scope than their original ideas had envisaged.
Unexpectedly, the critical discussion led to an appreciation of the format and methodology developed by documenta 12. Evidently Heiderose Hildebrand and Eva Sturm appear to have forgotten that it was their pioneering theoretical work and practical suggestions published some 16 years ago which ultimately laid the foundations for others to follow.
Claudia Jentzsch
back
