Multimodal Communication & Identity Building Through the Websites of French and Swedish Art Museums.

Abstract

In this thesis the multimodal aspects of websites belonging to art museums from Sweden and France ( Nationalmuseum, Moderna Museet, Musée d’Art Moderne, and Louvre ) are analyzed in order to identify what could be improved in terms of an effective identity building and communication of the business to the potential visitor. Sweden and France are two nations with a relationship going long back, even so they are differing in many ways. It is easier to travel than ever before, but we also come in contact with different cultures and conventions through the usage of internet. Therefore a business's presence online through websites or social media has become an important communication tool and a cornerstone in identity building. For museums, expecting both local visitors and tourists, the online channels may determine if a visit is of interest to them of not. The only way to control the impression and with certainty finding what one is looking for is through analysis and user feedback. The main questions asked in thesis are: How are the websites following the basic conventions of web design and communication to built up the museums identity? Have the analysed museums worked with their websites in ways that include both Swedish and French peoples’ expectations? The four museums were analysed in two parts, according to some of the conventions prevailing web design as a multimodal medium and according to the results collected from the two forms provided to potential French and Swedish visitors. There were some differences in the Swedish and French participants’ statements, most of them did not circle around the expectations of information though. The preferences did however differ a bit in behavioural patterns and visual preferences, e.g. did the Swedish participants favor the Modern Art Museums, while the French were a bit more split having a much more profound appreciation of the Fine Art icons in the forms. Moreover, when asked to mark the most attractive images a total of 81% (French and Swedish participants) preferred the same image from Musée d’Art Moderne , the color scheme of the museum was also by far the most appreciated in terms of attraction in both forms, as well as the most identified as an art museum by the form subjects . The sites analysed were both Fine Art and Modern Art Museums and differed in mission, expression and design choices which became clear in the analysis. Most of them had the most requested information like e.g. opening hours, exhibitions information and admissions easily accessible, using different modalities to communicate the identity of their business. That does not mean that there is not room for improvements.