The Exhibitionary Complex

Pauli Murray Art Gallery, Yale University

April 8th - April 11th, 2025

This photography project is inspired by Tony Bennett’s Exhibtionary Complex and critiques the constructed ideals for how to act in an art museum. Certain ‘norms’ are reinforced by both society and museums to uphold the synthetic “citizenry’ of the institution, but why is this so?

Similar rules of propriety exist at symphony halls, opera houses, talk shows, however those rules are in place to be mindful of and respect the performers at work. Why are we giving the same attention to art: stagnant objects pinned onto walls? Why must we use hushed voices and put our phones on silent and dress modestly?

To explore these questions, the visitor guidelines of ten major art museums will be examined, specifically addressing actions that are forcibly prohibited in the setting of an art museum, but often not in other social and/or public spaces.

The series will include 8-12 shots revealing individuals defying certain rules, and instead normalizing them within the setting of a museum: the Yale University Art Gallery. The pictures will include dramatized and extreme depictions for greater satirical effect. The hope of this project is urge our community to rethink norms prevalent and assumed, in not only the art museum, but other dominant cultural spaces. Thank you to Janet Sullivan, Professor Barringer, Frank, Bob, and the YUAG administrative staff.

Read more and visit photos at Portfolio > The Exhibitionary Complex

Bennett, Tony. “The Exhibitionary Complex.” Culture/Power/History (2005).