Juan Canela on Museums as Spaces of Resistance and Institutional Change

In an interview for Artishock Revista's series on International Museum Day, Juan Canela, chief curator of the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Panamá (MAC Panamá), argues that museums must take unequivocal positions through their programs rather than just social media statements. He emphasizes the need to rethink institutional forms to respond to local contexts, citing MAC Panamá's shift to two exhibition cycles per year with six-month durations to allow deeper public programming. Canela advocates for horizontal curatorial teams, affective and intuitive research methods, and fair working conditions for artists. He acknowledges economic challenges in Panama due to nascent cultural policies and lack of philanthropic tradition, but notes successful fundraising initiatives under director María Lucía Alemán. The museum delayed its 60th anniversary exhibition to "60+1" due to financial constraints. Canela sees museums as spaces of resistance against fascist politics, war, and algorithmic acceleration, preserving art's complexity without simplifying discourse for audiences.