CERCLE 1

RCAB. Tallerd'escultura/Tallerdeescultura/SculptureWorkshop. Foto/PhotoAntonioAyan 19 It’s essential that culture and education reach the greatest number of people possible and we have to focus on our young people, our future heritage andmuseum professionals, potential collectors or the audience that enjoys thesecultural initiatives. Of course, theMuseumofModernismhas sought toopenup to thepu- blic, toreachanyone that feels theneedeither tocontemplateand learn about its historical roots, or to just enjoy the artistry and aesthetics. But above all amuseum, as an educational institution, must facilitate access to that, and therearemany formsofdemocratisation thatdonot mean a devaluation of museums. At the end of the day, investment in culture is also an investment that should respond to objectives of res- pect, conservation and improved teaching, andprofessionals are there toensure that. On the other hand, I do think it very important that theworks are ac- companiedwith some context, some information, given that artworks themselvesmakeus think, reflect andenjoy; andwecanall do this, this avoiding thebanalisationof cultureand limiting it to theelites. Themuseum is at the serviceof thepublic, and themeasureof its suc- cess isnotoversubscriptionor crowds for crowds’ sake, but thequality of the experience and the learningprocess of eachof thevisitors takes awaywith themwhen they leave. Ourwork is to find out if the visitor has apositive reactionor not,whether they comeback, if theybecome aregularandsoon, andbeawareof theneedsandcorrect responses to this thatwe, forourpart, canand shouldgive. So,therefore,shouldthemuseum,asthemainrepositoryofartandasacred institution, assume its part in the social and cultural transformationof a country? (answerbyGemaLosa). Of course. It’s not only about showing the collection, but also contextualising the works, providing information and promoting culture reaching all society’s layers and teaching a part of our own history through the works themselves. Culture and education are powerful tools of social transformation as they provide knowledge, reflection and the ability to debate. This task, as well as the many educational and social policiesof thepublic institutions, is amuseum’s duty.With themand theircontent, suggestionsandactivities,weshould beable tosowagreaterknowledgeamongst thenewgenerationsofour surroundings and of ourselves to be able to advance into the future, if wedoour jobproperly Followingon from this,whodoyou think shouldcover thecosts? (answer byGemaLosa). I thinkpublic investment, usedresponsiblyandcoherently, shouldhelp maintain cultural spaces, providing the spaces themselves are loss- making. As institutions come round to amodel of self-financing, they no longer need this help, or at least need it less, and so efforts can be dedicated to other spaces that are currently forced to close for lack of funding. Whenwedonot talkabout a lackof resources, as Imentionedbefore, I think that it is also fundamental to speak about theduties of a cultural institution. With this I mean that although our aim to to optimise our own resources as a private institution, the presence of public aid is fundamental to involveeveryone in thecity’s cultural life Leo Castelli was able to set up the links between the gallery owners and the cultural custodians that are supposedly represented by themuseum. The presence of an artwork in amuseum could be themost definitive of