The Anarchist Guide to Historic House Museums: Evaluation Methodology for Historic House Museums Franklin Vagnone, Deborah Ryan, and Olivia Cothren ‘‘Don’t you want to preserve old things?’’ ‘‘Trying to preserve a century by keeping its relics up to date is like keeping a dying man alive by stimulants.’’ F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Beautiful and DamnedContinue reading “The Anarchist Guide to Historic House Museums: Evaluation Methodology for Historic House Museums”
Category Archives: anarchist tag
Contemporary Art Happenings in Historic House Museums
Contemporary Art Happenings in Historic House Museums. F. Vagnone Presentation given at the Thomas Cole Historic Site, Catskill, NY
The destruction of the sacred
I watched the screen in disgust as the crowd began to tear apart the tree. They ripped off whole limbs with their hands and women grabbed leaves and began to stuff them inside of their jacket pockets. The mob grew larger and eventually the assault on the tree resulted in the bare trunk being pulledContinue reading “The destruction of the sacred”
The narcissism of details
The narcissism of details New York City, 2014 I don’t mean to pick on Old George, but he really slept around. A lot. Have you ever noticed that the official messaging for a historic house site usually involves an obscure detail? The most obvious – “George Washington slept here”. I have been stunned to learnContinue reading “The narcissism of details”
philosophy of old windows
Hello my name is Frank and I love old windows. Franklin Vagnone with Laura Orthwein, Claire, Emma and Sophia – surrounded by a few of the extensive window sash collection. Photos by Daniel Eller. 2001. I realize most people would see my view of the world as unbearably right brained. But for me, right now,Continue reading “philosophy of old windows”
Upside down & and backward.
Taken from an interview of Franklin Vagnone by ArtFWD Interview Franklin Vagnone on Historic House Museums Breaking the Rules BY KENDRA DANOWSKI, ARTSFWD EDITOR & ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR JUNE 25, 2014 0 COMMENTS SHARE How can historic house museums flip the script when connecting with local communities — by working backwards and rejecting traditional practices? This mobile kiosk willContinue reading “Upside down & and backward.”
adjusting foundations – a broad definition of preservation
Thaden Jordan mid-century modern sideboard. Molded birch plywood sideboard designed and produced by Thaden Jordan Furniture Corporation, USA, late 1940s – early 1950s. After selling this piece of furniture on Craigslist, I began to think about my relationship with the objects in my life & how that relationship has helped form a broad philosophy ofContinue reading “adjusting foundations – a broad definition of preservation”
Ashes in Alabama and the power of flaws 3.8.14
I traveled down to Montgomery, AL to visit the Dexter Ave. Parsonage. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his family resided in this home during a 1956 bombing attack. It is now an historic house museum. (Image: Franklin D. Vagnone) The damaged porch of MLK’s Montgomery home. (Image: blogspot.com) One of the most amazing thingsContinue reading “Ashes in Alabama and the power of flaws 3.8.14”
Fix it or leave it? – 11.11.13
1. An amazing outbuilding. Private residence. Privy, Upstate New York. 2. Multiple layers of history expressed through paint, hardware, wallpaper & many repairs. Lott House, Brooklyn, New York 3. Which is dominant – historic artifact or time? Upper East Side, New York NY 4. It is quite common for situations like this for the originalContinue reading “Fix it or leave it? – 11.11.13”
Museum Anarchist tags
“museum anarchist” tags were begun as a way to engage a wider community in soliciting comments and ideas about the present state of museums and historic house museums. Many people have taken this idea and tweeted pictures back to me showing their “anarchist” tags in situ ( @franklinvagnone ). What do you find annoying aboutContinue reading “Museum Anarchist tags”
Twisted Preservation 