There is something surreal about being in a museum store. It is so different from seeing an object in an exhibition where the objects are displayed as to show them off or tell a story, but whatever the purpose they are treated with reverence. In a store, however, it is about the usage of space. The objects are well cared for and stored so that they do not deteriorate, but what you think about the object, its ‘meaning’ is not a consideration. I was in a V&A sculpture store the other day and as I waited for the curator to return I found myself standing next to a life-size plaster cast of Michaelangelo’s David. Having never seen the original it was quite amazing to just see this plaster cast, but I couldn’t really appreciate it as I had work to do!

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