Percy Grainger Museum Visit



IMG_1881Last week my Specific To Site studio class washeld at the Percy Grainger Museum in Parkville. At first I didn’t fully understand what it meant to be visiting the space, but as the exhibition went on, clarity was bestowed upon us.

We learnt about Percy Grainger; his accomplishments as a composer, musician, artist and designer. We learnt about his humanitarian beliefs, his interests in fitness and vegetarianism. We also learnt about his quirks and his kinks (BDSM).

IMG_1851However, we were mostly interested in the space that he built, for himself. It was an autobiographical museum – this means that it was a museum about himself that he constructed for the purpose of showcasing his accomplishments throughout his life. The space was a strange shape, it was the shape of a semi-circle and was built nearly entirely out of brick and concrete, it was completely white which gave it a spacious view, and on exhibition were all the instruments he used to play, pieces of clothes he had made and various photos of himself; some more interestingly displayed than others.


IMG_1868 What was most interesting about this space was that it was mostly dedicated to Grainger’s musical accomplishments. However, throughout the space there was not much music being played – only the soft vibrance of a machine that spat out concerto after concerto. The array of musical instruments sat blankly and unused, which complimented the space they were displayed in but created a stark dichotomy against what the space was dedicated to.

IMG_1869 This was my first glimpse into the idea of space and place and I must say I was absolutely intrigued by what we might be doing later in the unit. I’ve attached some photos from the trip.
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