The Museum of Now
The Museum of Now
Contribute an exhibit to the virtual exhibition ‘The Museum of Now’ and become a part of lockdown history
Residents are being invited to submit items of personal significance that will become part of The Museum of Now collection. It will be housed online with plans for a physical exhibition once lockdown is lifted.
The Community Brain, a not for profit organisation based in Surbiton, South London. They creating an innovative virtual museum in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The Museum of Now gives people an opportunity to contribute their own exhibit and become part of a collective project during this time of extensive isolation. Items can comprise anything that has particular resonance for someone now.
Pick a single item in your home (or wherever you have found yourself in isolation) which means something to you. This item will be known as your ‘wonder’ in the exhibition. It can be something with historic resonance or something which has come to mean something to you during more recent times. There are no rules on what item you want to pick – it doesn’t even have to be a physical object, it might be a piece of music, a memory, a smell…
The Museum, which has been created with support from Arts Council England. It aims to become home to an unprecedented archive of items telling the story of a historic few months during which we have all be confined to our homes and our communities.
Anyone keen to get involved is invited to submit their item in the form of a photograph and a minute-long video explaining the story behind it. Entries will be curated and displayed in a digital ‘Cabinet of Wonders’, designed by local artists.
HOW TO SUBMIT AN EXHIBIT TO THE MUSEUM OF NOW
Submissions should be sent to wonder@themuseumofnow.org and are open until 5 July.
Robin Hutchinson, founder of The Community Brain, said:
“As people have responded to the value of local, of kindness, care and compassion so we want to record their feelings and stories in the Museum of Now. Perhaps it will be an object that acts as a reminder of those you are missing, or something that has become a vital part of life today. We want these important stories to last as a touchstone to a time and importantly to play a part in the new futures that are built.”
Once the Museum has been created The Community Brain will commission four local artists, from a variety of performing and visual arts backgrounds, to make new work responding to the collection. Their responses will be presented online and in a physical exhibition when restrictions on public gatherings have been lifted.
@communitybrain #TheMuseumOfNow
For more information visit www.thecommunitybrain.org
