Entre pays des merveilles et utopie. Le musée Louisiana d’art moderne, un nouveau musée témoin du bien-être social de la société danoise

Abstract

“Between Wonderland or Utopia: Louisiana Museum of Modern Art as a new museum for the Danish Welfare society” focuses on Louisiana, established in 1958, as a key model for challenging the traditional museum category in postwar Europe. During the first twenty years, Louisiana was leading in creating an experience museum with a new democratic Bildung concept for the rising Welfare society, the text argues. The argument is unfolded in an analysis of the exhibitionary complex and the new experience educative curatorial formats – from the open and inviting architectural decentered structure; myriad participatory practices; new exhibition formats and publications, a children’s museum, and commitment to public engagement through symposiums and concerts. While shifting its focus from Danish and Scandinavian art and design to international modern art, Louisiana with its founding director Knud W. Jensen was devoted to bringing art and culture to the broad audiences and presenting a cultural alternative to the rising consumerism. Louisiana strived to be a cultural asset and relevant to the contemporary society – a museum for developing, shaping and “educating” individuals in the new postwar society.