Assignment 2: Krannert Art Museum - Justin Jahnke

When asked where they prefer to go in their leisure time, most people would probably respond by naming their favorite movie theater, amusement park, or restaurant. Although each of those destinations is a great source of relaxation and escape from the grind of everyday life, none of them provides quite as much stimulation as a visit to an art museum. Viewing art encourages active thought while still allowing the visitors to leave their anxieties at home. Fortunately, there is a fantastic museum located right here on campus that is open to all students, faculty, and members of the community, the Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion, located at 500 E. Peabody Drive in Champaign.

The Krannert Art Museum was opened in 1961 to create a home for the University’s collection of art and today is the second largest art museum in Illinois. It is a unit of the College of Fine and Applied Arts and includes the Kinkead Pavilion, an addition to the museum completed in 1988. After taking several pictures of the stylish exterior, I walked inside the 48,000 sq. ft. facility to meet with Diane Schumacher, the museum’s Director of Publications and Marketing.

Throughout its ten galleries, Diane informed me, 9,000 works of art from various corners of the globe are held. Cultures represented within the museum include American (Pre-Columbian and U.S.), ancient Mediterranean, Asian (China, India, Japan, Thailand), and African, among others. Most of what the museum displays is traditional, but it also displays various contemporary works in seasonal exhibitions. As stated in its major objectives, KAM aims “to exploit the special assets of the University and community to develop dynamic collaborations across often disparate disciplines and interests,” as well as “to be a leader in visioning and realizing the future of arts.” Clearly, an equal emphasis is placed on both past and current styles and works of art.

I asked Diane about her background and how she came to occupy her current position at the museum. She studied art, graduating from Illinois with a Bachelor’s degree and earning a Master’s from Indiana. She came back to work as a docent at Krannert in 1988, but also served as an educational coordinator and trained docents before assuming a Membership and Marketing position in 2000, which became Director of Publications and Marketing. Although the path to her current role is indefinite, Diane said that a strong knowledge of art history, as well as a background in art, is important.

KAM claims to fulfill its mission by “exhibiting diverse and contemporary artists, embracing new media and technologies, and supporting emerging artists and the creative process,” as well as by ”programming activities that encourage and inspire lifelong learning, contemplation, and a passion for understanding.” Some activities provided include the various contemporary exhibitions, music and dance performances, and gallery talks and lectures. For those with particular interest in the work or artists, special exhibitions are held in which the artists actually meet with patrons of the museum to share more about the creative process. The museum also offers a “hip-hop café,” much like a poetry slam. Much of Diane’s job is devoted to organizing and planning these and other events, in addition to cataloguing the museum’s works.

The Krannert Art Museum brings in about 132,000 people annually. I asked Diane what she thought the term “leisure” meant in terms of the museum’s visitors, and she described it as having the free-time and curiosity, passion, and a love of art. She said personally her favorite part of working at the museum is being exposed to all the wonderful art everyday and getting a chance to experience it casually, as well as working with colleagues who are “creative,” “energetic,” and “hard-working.” With all that is going on at the Krannert Art Museum, the next time I decide to go out I may just decide to forgo the movie (~$8 for admission), the amusement park ($15 for parking), and instead opt for the free displays of creativity (although an optional $3 donations is customary).

Synopsis:
An art museum may seem like an inherently uninteresting venue to most people these days, but in reality there is a lot more going on than just hanging paintings and glass-enclosed sculptures. The Krannert Art Museum, for instance, provides many interesting programs reflecting many current trends. Music and dance shows offer variety to the museum-going experience, while hip-hop café allows visitors to experience the live creativity of other members of the community. Even the art itself is made more appealing by docents who provide tours and gallery talks, creating more depth for the art. These features are what marketing professionals like Diane Schumacher work to create in order to make the leisure service more enjoyable to leisure-seekers. Although there are many other responsibilities, one of the most important aspects of Diane’s job is creating an appealing environment for visitors to the museum. So in the future, if you need to think of a fun activity for you and your friends, consider taking a trip over to the Krannert Art Museum. It’ll be something new and different, and you may even save a few bucks (which is as important for a college student as anyone).