Patton, like most art historians of her generation, was trained to downplay the cultural context of works of art, particularly modern art and non-Western art. Now people have gotten past only focusing on style and are more willing to acknowledge that art represents ideas, cultural, and political history. Part of that shift back from pure aestheticism has to do with a growing awareness that people who visit museums have unique cultural backgrounds that likely affect how they experience museums. Prior to the last 20 years or so, the exhibiting of art operated on certain assumptions that when people came into a museum they already had 'clues' necessary to understand the art. A museum can no longer make that assumption.
Museums are more accountable to their audiences now.
That's probably partly due to the mass media and partly an expression of democracy. Combine that with major cuts in arts funding in the schools, and museums are taking on more of an educational role. The interpretive materials have to be better and more extensive. One of the goals I have is to strengthen the education department so that it more actively engages outside the college, into the town and to Lorain County. Collaborative projects with others on campus, such as the new environmental center, could be one way of spreading that news.