Jean-Hubert Martin on Carambolages and the Future of Museums

Curator Jean-Hubert Martin discusses his exhibition Carambolages at the Grand Palais in Paris, running until July 4, 2016. The show assembles over 180 works from about forty institutions, arranged not by chronology but by personal, sensory associations—a method Martin calls "pedagogy of the senses." He argues that museums should move beyond the linear historical narrative imposed in the late 19th century, embracing instead the model of Wunderkammern or the studio of André Breton. Martin cites MONA in Hobart as a rare example of a universal museum. He rejects the idea that his approach should replace existing institutions, but suggests it suits medium-sized museums with mixed collections. The exhibition's labels, proposed by scenographer Hugues Fontenas, appear on distant LCD screens to minimize intellectual interference. Martin acknowledges that his non-linear approach challenges viewers and critics, who often fall back on old interpretive grids. The interview also touches on the series of conferences "Museo del domani" that preceded the show, featuring artists, collectors, and intellectuals like Pierre Bayard and Anne and Patrick Poirier. Martin's career includes directorships at Kunsthalle Bern (1982–86), Centre Pompidou (1988–90), and Musée national des arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie (1994–99). The interview was conducted by Chiara Ianeselli.