Museum im Lagerhaus

The foundation board of the Stiftung für schweizerische Naive Kunst und Art Brut (foundation) and the direction of the Museum im Lagerhaus (MiL) adopt the following guidelines. The guidelines will be reviewed in 2015:

Main Focus

As a storehouse of cultural memory the Museum im Lagerhaus has dedicated itself to conserving and to increasing awareness specifically about Swiss Naive Art, Art Brut and Outsider Art; it deals with both living and deceased artists and looks at their work in the light of other art forms. On the basis of an open concept of art, the museum has dedicated itself to this comparative examination in its exhibition work. It stimulates understanding for the importance of the creative process of art in the lives of men and women in general and of the exhibited artists in particular. In doing so the museum devotes attention to works at the boundaries of art and to works by self-taught artists, who themselves often explore boundaries in various respects. It works together with other museums and institutions, seeks to establish networks and fosters the development of its own expertise.

Identity and Mission

The MiL complies with all duties of a museum and displays three special exhibitions and one collection show every year dealing with the broad field of the art concepts representing. It addresses a general public, reaching from professionals to laypersons at every age. The MiL serves as centre of excellence in its subject area, that does not only communicate important facts about the art works but also about the artist’s biographies, aims at increasing an interest in creative processes on the basis of an open concept of art, supports academic researches, makes interdisciplinary aspects shared with other art styles visible, and puts the national core content in international context.

Aims and Target Audience

The MiL is known as a singular, important and professionally guided Swiss institution of Art Brut all over Switzerland due to its exhibitions and competence, as well as through strengthened international professional networking and growing media coverage. It is regarded as a considerable and special cultural factor within St. Gallen by public authorities and private persons. The MiL responds to the interests of different groups and ages, while putting a special effort on art education for children, students and teens and it is deliberately open for persons with little affinity towards art and museums.

Values

The MiL deals in a respectful, open-minded and transparent way with its artists, business partners, visitors and staff and acts on the base of mutual confidence and frankness. It sets value on professionalism at work and cares for the well-being and appreciation of the persons involved, and makes sure to deploy their qualities. Through spontaneity and willingness to explore new ways the MiL tries to avoid everyday routine.

Ressources and Prospects

Human resources and infrastructure of the museum are ensured through contributions from public authorities and private institutions. This allows the museum to store and maintain the growing collection, to present the exhibitions in an attractive way, to open its space for a broad public and to interact with it in a contemporary and appropriate way. Quality, commitment and motivation of the museum direction, volunteers and foundation board form the basis of an excellent exhibition work and a strong relationship with supporters and benefactors, which helps to ensure the constantly growing quality through financial and mental contributions.