Can exhibitions present histories of art in ways that texts cannot?
Art history has traditionally been conveyed through written texts such as scholarly books, articles, and catalogues that analyse artists and movements. However, museums and galleries offer an alternative medium for presenting art history: the exhibition. This raises the question of whether exhibitions can present the histories of art in ways that texts cannot. Exhibitions provide a direct, experiential encounter with artworks, engaging viewers’ senses and emotions in a physical space that texts cannot fully replicate. They enable curators to craft a spatial narrative through the selection and arrangement of objects, immersing viewers in an environment that conveys context and meaning. At the same time, however, exhibitions are not inherently self-explanatory and rely on textual context such as wall labels and catalogues, to anchor the display in history and avoid misinterpretation. This essay argues that, while exhibitions offer an immersive experience beyond the capacity of text alone, they work best in tandem with textual information to provide both emotional impact and historical accuracy. The case of the Paula Rego retrospective at Tate Britain in 2021 will illustrate how an exhibition can successfully integrate immersive visual storytelling with contextual depth to present art history in a nuanced way.
Noticing Art 