Réponse institutionnelle aux demandes sociales : le cas du Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55765/atps.i27.3145Keywords:
museum, governance, social claims, restitution, cultural policyAbstract
This paper offers a reflection on how the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond, USA), reacts to contemporary demands from civil society. It is based on a study of the museum’s management, focusing on the profiles of decision-makers and the political, economic and social influences that guide their choices. From media and institutional sources, it examines claims such as the restitution of works or the loan to Congolese artists. The analysis questions the responses provided by the museum and their limits, within the framework of political constraints. The goal is to assess to what extent this museum is constructed as a space for public debate and social transformation, beyond the traditional economic and curatorial logics associated with art museums.
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