Sketches No. 3 2001

Editor: Tadashi Kawamata's "Sketches No. 3" presents photographs and handwritten notes on paper. The composition feels almost like an architectural blueprint. What do you see in this piece, considering its presentation at the Harvard Art Museums? Curator: The scattered photographs and almost illegible notes suggest a provisional status. Kawamata's placement of such a work within the museum raises questions about the institution's role in legitimizing the artistic process, not just the finished product. How does seeing 'sketches' change our expectations of art displayed in a museum? Editor: I guess it makes me think about art as a process rather than a precious commodity, which is refreshing. Curator: Precisely. It invites us to consider how museums shape our understanding of what constitutes 'art' worthy of preservation and display.