In this blog post, I will introduce the method of Discourse Analysis II, it’s explanation by Rose (2001) as well as provide an example with a physical institution from the city of Maastricht.
Discourse analysis II
Discourse analysis II as well as previously discussed Discourse Analysis I relate back to the works of French philosopher Michel Focault (1926 – 1984). Both of these methods are concerned with the articulation of power/knowledge relations through discourses. Discourse Analysis I was more concerned about visual images and written and spoken text and the meanings behind them. Discourse Analysis II, as explained by Rose „often works with similar sorts of materials, but is much more concerned with their production by, and their reiteration of, particular institutions and their practices, and their production of particular human subjects.” (Rose, 2001, p. 164) This method derives from one of the most important and popular works of Focault, Discipline and Punish (1977), as well as few others, in which he analyze different institutions such as prisons, asylums and hospitals, and how they surveillance and execute power on the people within those institutions.
What is meant with the notions of ‘institutional apparatus’ and ‘institutional technologies’?
As explained by Rose:
“ An institutional apparatus is the forms of power/knowledge which constitute the institutions: for example, architecture, regulations, scientific treatises, philosophical statements, laws, morals, and so on, and the discourse articulated through all these. (…) The institutional technologies (sometimes difficult to differentiate from the apparatus) are the practical techniques used to practice that power/knowledge.” (Rose, 2001, p. 166)
So, as an example of institutional apparatus we can talk about the internal layout of a museum, and what kind of power it entails. We can also talk about the fact that you are prohibited from touching the art in the museum, which in a way sometimes is an „invisible” rule.
As an example of the institutional technologies we can talk about the technologies of display: so how the art is displayed in the museum’s space; the technologies of interpretation, so if the art is labeled and how it is labeled; technologies of layout and tactile technologies.
What kind of sources can you analyze with this method?
As pointed out by Rose: “The kinds of sources used for this type of discourse analysis are as diverse as those deployed by the discourse analysis (I).” (Rose, 2001, p. 169) This can be, for example, written texts about the emergence of museums and art galleries in the previous centuries. Nowadays, this kind of sources are usually accompanied by interviews, mission statements of institutions, visual images of the buildings, architecture as well as observations on the people visiting certain institutions.
Bonnefantenmuseum Maastricht
For the sake of my own analysis, I decided to visit a museum. I went to the Bonnefantenmuseum in Maastricht. It was founded in 1884 as an historical – archaeological museum of the province of Limburg. The current location in the Ceramique district of Maastricht was designed by Italian architect Aldo Rossi and is used by the museum since 1995.
After you enter the building, the tickets are available to buy in the museum’s shop, where you can also obtain various art books, postcards, posters and small sculptures. After receiving the ticket, you are directed to the information point, where and employee of the museum explains to you what is currently available to see in the museum and where. During my 4 hour stay in the museum I’ve only encountered two safety guards, which with one I’ve spoken. Surprisingly, you are allowed to have your bag with you, as long as you don’t carry it on your back, but in your hand or on the front. I’ve seen a couple of different exhibitions. The most interesting one being the Cai Guo-Qiang: My Stories of Painting, which was the contemporary art exhibition as well as the Medieval Art part of the museum. From hereby I would like to just focus on the different technologies used by the institution within the museum’s space.
Technologies of display
Within the whole museum, there were various ways of displaying the art. I’ve encountered a lot of display cases, which were put on the walls or within the exhibition’s space with the art or sculptures inside them. There was a lot of art displayed in an open displays, such as contemporary paintings, that no protective glass or case on them, and were just simply hung on the wall. There were no dioramas, but in the Cai Guo-Qiang exhibition there were various screens with some short-films as well as one room devoted to a screening of a movie that was a quick recap on the works of the author.
Textual and visual technologies of interpretation
In all of the exhibitions currently held in the Bonnefantenmuseum we can find captions and labels next to the art. They are usually a quick explanation of the art – who was the author, the name of the work, when was it done, with what technique and where. In the contemporary art exhibition there were a lot of panels on the walls that provided a wider context to the art or were just some quoting from the author displayed in this exhibition. I’ve also encountered a few catalogues, lying on the tables in the rooms were the art was displayed.
Technologies of layout
Within different exhibitions in the museum I’ve encountered different layouts. For example, in the medieval art part, all of the walls had a very dark, burgundy color, with a couple of lights pointed directly at the specific art, which was probably done to evoke a feeling of a medieval church or religious institution in general, as all of the art displayed in this section was of a religious theme. In the 16th and 17th art exhibition the walls were colored blue. In the contemporary art exhibitions the walls were white, with usually no light pointing directly at them as the spaces had either natural light or just big lights from above. The ways of displaying the art were different in every exhibition. (For example of a display from the contemporary art exhibition look at one of the photos of a drawing)
Tactile technologies
In several places I’ve encountered the signs of “do not touch”. Some parts of the exhibitions were behind a rope, so you can only see the art from particular distance. There were also security cameras in every room, as well as guards walking there from time to time. There were only a few exceptions where you were not able to photograph the art displayed in the exhibitions.
Spaces behind the displays
A very interesting and nice feature of the museum, which you unfortunately cannot photograph, is the restoration art room in the first floor. On various occasions it is possible for the visitors to watch the workers restore the paintings in held in their atelier. There also several staff rooms, as well as auditorium, locker room, cafe as well as the shop.
I hope my small analysis of the Bonnefantenmuseum was interesting to you, and I hope you understand the principles of the discourse analysis more now. See you in my next post, bye!
Rose, G.(2001). Visual methodologies: An introduction to researching with visual materials. London: Sage. (Chapter 7: Discourse Analysis II: Institutions and Ways of Seeing)