Pure Exhibitionism
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Nothing reflects McCarter’s populist vision for the Field better than “Cartier: 1900-1939,” a stunning exhibit of art deco jewelry, clocks, watches, cigarette boxes, and other objets d’art created by the House of Cartier in Paris. The show runs through January 16, and Sophia Shaw, director of exhibitions at the Field, considers it a feather in the museum’s cap: “These kinds of exhibitions do allow us to be seen as a more dynamic institution.” The exhibition, she insists, is more than just a glitzy display of gems: collateral materials for the show explain how designs for many pieces were based on archaeological artifacts and how the jewelry reflects the fashions and cultural traditions of Paris during that era.
The Cartier exhibit is part of a major campaign to dust off the cobwebs at the museum. According to Shaw, the Field began to reduce the number of touring shows it hosted in the early 80s, focusing instead on internal research and exhibits drawn from the permanent collections. But in the 90s, as museums began to compete more aggressively for the public’s attention, the Field realized it needed to shake off its image as a gray repository for rocks, bones, and taxidermy. This year the museum will host nine traveling exhibitions, more than twice the number presented a decade ago, and some of them include a separate admission fee, which increases revenue. “We like having a changing marquee show,” says Shaw, “because it helps people understand we are really many different museums in one museum.”
