Spaces for art: places in continuous redefinition

Abstract

Through the history of museums and collectionism, a great variety of spaces where cultural objects are protected, conserved, sheltered or stored has proliferated. In spite of that, the artistic patrimony of communities continues being the support to its memory as a collectivity. Since the Greek sanctuaries dedicated to the Muses until contemporary museums and art centers, protected artistic collections have been transformed into support to the transmission of ideas and knowledge. Not only physical spaces (temples, academies, galleries, palaces and salons) but also virtual spaces (museums and galleries in the web) have kept the same finality: to conserve, study and diffuse artistic manifestations of cultures. More than two centuries have passed since the creation of the first contemporary art museum that was conceived as a place for conservation, study and diffusion of art created in its time; and more than one century since Ducahmp included his artwork “Fountain” in Armory Show, since then art museums have redefined themselves along with the object they should protect.