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Leipzig (dpa) - From the point of view of the new director of the Museum of Fine Arts in Leipzig, Stefan Weppelmann, the corona pandemic and its consequences force us to think about the role of museums.
"It takes a reflection of what is happening," said the 50-year-old from the German press agency.
It is about better coordination and provision for future cases of this kind, about security for the facilities, standardization "and about how a museum visit can be made possible under special conditions".
For Weppelmann, who has been head of the museum since January 1st, the question arises whether a complete lockdown of culture is always necessary or whether it should be accessible in times of crisis.
In this way, "the all-important bond between art and the public" can be preserved.
From the point of view of the art historian, museums need to focus more on their core competencies, work with their collections and intensify educational programs.
"Up until the outbreak of the pandemic, however, growth and speed defined normal here as elsewhere," he said.
After Corona, it will be about enabling barrier-free art experience again.
"In retrospect, the past few months will sometimes appear as a turning point," says Weppelmann.
"Pessimism is not the order of the day, curiosity and re-evaluation are."
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Looking ahead together should also allow a searching look.
Weppelmann speaks of a stronger focus on the local audience, researching and presenting one's own holdings, cross-media exhibitions and digital formats for broader participation.
He also advocates “more resource-efficient” work, and Fridays for Future is also “an exclamation point”.
Things that are outside of the museum must also be put to the test, such as courier trips or the use of materials at exhibitions.
Weppelmann was most recently director of the picture gallery of the Vienna Art History Museum.
In Leipzig he wants to focus more on the collection, find formats that work outside the museum, include the modern building and open it up beyond art.
And: "Provenance research and revision must be part of the museum's portfolio of tasks."
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210123-99-138643 / 2