Monday, May 5

Davis Museum Kensett Touchscreen receives honorable mention at 2008 MUSE Awards

The Kensett and the White Mountains touchscreen at the Davis Museum and Cultural Center received an honorable mention at the 2008 American Association of Museums MUSE Awards. The kiosk was developed for our core constituency, Wellesley College students. Installed in front of John Frederick Kensett's painting, Mount Washington from the Valley of Conway, 1851, this multimedia learning tool contextualizes the original artwork and leads the visitor to deep and thoughtful looking.

The first two sections focus on the concept of place, both past and present, and how we define and visualize locations differently. Kensett's Journey uses flash animations, maps, photographs, drawings, and audio of archival correspondence to recreate the artist's travel to the White Mountains in New Hampshire. The Valley Today compares the painting to the current environment and includes a video of the production team looking for the artist's original vantage point/s within the landscape.

The third section, Looking Closely, is audio guiding the viewer through the painting's formal aspects and subject matter-directing the viewer to listen and look at specific details in the original work of art. It explores the interdisciplinary and personal perspectives of the participating students and curators, whose conversation covers the idyllic representation of the American landscape and the religious, moral and political meanings of the work.

While Dana Lamb, a Wellesley College alumna and web designer, created the design and flash production for the kiosk, Jim Olson, Coordinator of Technology, led a team of museum staff, students, and interns who developed all of the concepts, research, and content for the project. This included two student researchers, a student photographer, a student videographer, student voice talent, and a group of students who discuss the painting in the Looking Closely section.

The judges said:

"The Kensett and the White Mountains interactive touchscreen was researched and produced by Wellesley College students who serve as guides to illuminate one painting's relationship to the landscape that inspired it. This project connects past and present for other college students, with well researched content and documentary style video. It brings the Kensett painting in the museum gallery to life, and encourages the user to look at the actual painting. And nice use of the padded bench!"

You can stop by the museum to check it out yourself or view it here.

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