The Museum of Accidents is an online collection of photographs sharing the common theme of something gone badly, or even most horribly wrong.
The collection is separated into categories such as Environmental Pollution, Industrial Accidents (my favourite), Deliberate Accidents (is there such a thing?) and Wreck and Derailments, among others.
This site taps into the vulture in everyone. It does have some amazing images, such as a street suffering the aftermath of the Kobe earthquake.
As a result of its controversial content, this site does become morally questionable and for some, storms into uncomfortable territory. It is clear that some people died in some of the accidents featured, so is it right to include them in the collection?
The description of "accident" is also obviously a grey area. The dictionary says it's, "An unexpected and undesirable event, especially one resulting in damage or harm."
I don't know what the criteria was for placing the Lockerbie Air Crash under the 'deliberate accident" category, or even more shockingly, the collapse of the Twin Towers. I feel no need to include those pictures here.
What do you think?
Morally Questionable Virtual Curation
The Museum of Accidents
Trend Themes
1. Morally Questionable Content - The advent of morally questionable content online sparks the need for better regulations and guidelines.
2. Curating Disaster - The trend of curating disasters can bring attention to important issues but raises ethical concerns.
3. Voyeuristic Art - The rise of online museums that showcase voyeuristic art creates a new form of art that challenges ethical norms.
Industry Implications
1. Art and Design - The art and design industry can utilize the trend of curating disasters to create impactful and thought-provoking art.
2. Online Media and Entertainment - The trend of voyeuristic art can disrupt the online media and entertainment industry by pushing boundaries and creating controversial content with high click rates.
3. Societal Ethics and Regulations - The rise of morally questionable content online requires a re-examination of societal ethics and regulations for the digital age.