Scholars argue that reading is a triangular transaction—a ménage à trois—among author, text, and reader. The author may create the text, argues Louise Rosenblatt, but the reader turns it into a story. So the reader is a writer after all. Voilà!
The same goes with visual art. The viewer creates the meaning. I'd love for the Art Institute to put a comments box beneath each artwork. Comment cards would be in an abundance in the museum. Visitors would walk around with a stack of notecards inspiring people to not just consume the art, but to critically and creatively thnk about the artwork. The notecards in the visitors hand is a ----key, a prod, a device, a mind connector, a instigator, an enabler---- for such thoughts.
Interpretations, meanings, new uses, creative works will be deposited for every artwork. No longer are these stale pieces on a wall. These artworks a now keys, starlings points, to unlock a wealth of knowledge and creativity.
These cards would be collected and published in print publications, online websites, and even displayed under the artwork or in an area nearby the gallery. Perhaps each artwork could have an e-ink display as part of the caption where a user may flip through the library of thoughts created for each artwork.
