On The Case – Constrictions Of…

London Design Festival at the V&A

Barry Martin challenges conventional wisdom about the mainstay of museum life - the display cabinet

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The conventional display cabinet used in museum and gallery exhibitions has hardly changed in form, function and shape since its inception several hundred years ago. As such, the display case stands in a twilight zone of opposites: it is seen but not seen. It is looked at but not looked at. It exists but does not exist. It is more cursed than celebrated and it is mostly ignored!

This installation by Barry Martin seeks to challenge these stereotyped perceptions, and question the concepts that formulate the ways of seeing imposed on the viewer. It is also a celebration of the case in point, the CABINET that cries out ‘I CAN'T BE!'

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