Archives & Glasgow Field Trip
We went to Glasgow for a day of fieldwork this week and what struck me was THE exhibition we visited on our first stop: THE TREMBLING MUSEUM. I am exploring the word trembling, my subjective feeling is that this exhibition challenges the traditional classification and presentation of African art that has been imposed for a long time, by crossing historical, artistic, and cultural boundaries. At the same time, the audience is encouraged to understand Africa’s artistic and cultural heritage from a new perspective. In addition, many of the African artworks and artifacts on display had been stored in warehouses for a long time and had not received public attention and appreciation. The project brings these collections back to light and promotes public awareness and appreciation of Africa’s diverse cultures and arts.
The curator also mentioned a problem, which reminds me of my curatorial project, not everyone knows this history, so where to start, let the audience think about it. So I want to explore whether audiences of different backgrounds can gain new insights and understanding from this unconventional exhibition and whether this approach can contribute to a more inclusive and diverse cultural dialogue.
Independent research based on the Field Trip:
In the present context, concerns about equality, diversity, social justice and human rights have moved from the margins of museum thinking and practice to the core. The arguments for attracting diverse audiences, creating conditions for more equitable access to museum resources, and opening up opportunities for participation are now gaining considerable consensus in many parts of the world (Nightingale et al., 2012). Very beneficially, art can help us remember, imagine, create, and change oppressive practices that persist in history and place (Bell et al., 2011). In addition, museums work with social workers, social agencies, and clients to help people navigate and even thrive in circumstances ranging from personal challenges to social injustice (Silverman, 2010). All of the above points prove that art exhibitions can help build a more equitable cultural dialogue.
Individual curatorial research:
Focusing on a new project, The Museum of Abandoned Spaces (MOAS), the exhibition dreams on sale is a museum-based pop-up exhibition in an empty, abandoned, uninhibited, desolate place. It critically examines the impact of developer greed on the city’s architectural and environmental heritage, highlighting the contrast between the appeal of luxury property advertising and the reality of urban decay. In the process, the city’s architectural and environmental heritage continues to deteriorate. The author uses photography to express his dissatisfaction and tries to reflect on this social problem.
(photographer: Arsalan Nasir)
References：
Arsalan Nasir. (2021). Photograph related to ‘Dreams on Sale’ [Photograph]. Vasl Artists’ Association. https://vaslart.org/dreams-on-sale/
Bell, L. A. & Desai, D. (2011) Imagining Otherwise: Connecting the Arts and Social Justice to Envision and Act for Change: Special Issue Introduction. Equity & excellence in education. [Online] 44 (3), 287–295.
Nightingale, Eithne. & Sandell, R. (2012) Museums, equality and social justice / editors, Richard Sandell, Eithne Nightingale. [Online]. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
Silverman, L. H. (2010) The social work of museums / Lois H. Silverman. [Online]. London ; Routledge.
Vasl Artists’ Association. (2021). Dreams on Sale. Available at: https://vaslart.org/dreams-on-sale/ (Accessed at: 10 March, 2024)
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