Anette Rein Oneobject - manystories: The Museumis no "neutral"place

Foto:Adelheid Straten The tangibleand intangibledimensions of reality It was in factAsia that in- fluencedEurope and the Western World in this (see In the Seoul conference bold final remark),we were way. Seoul is thus the politicalprograms talkingless about and hybridtheoretical ap- rightplace to be talking proaches. people As with museumsbackgrounds, our bases aboutthese issues. here for any argumentationare the materialobjects from our col- at thisconference. lections.What this meansis thatthe materialworld forms the point centralreference for our theoreticalreflections. However, With the left shown im- thesematerialthings are in themselvesincomplete and cannot age I want to exemplify standindependently. differingperspectives on the materialand immaterialworld, which togetherform the two dimensionsof reality.The two just Knowledgeembraces much more than tangiblearticles. differentcolours of the picturestand for the material(black) Objects,things or items constitutethe materialor tangible and the immaterial(white) spheres of reality.While looking at world. However,when we look at an object,the intangible the cuttingsite, it becomesclear that both colourdimensions world is immediatelyactivated in our reflections.We think moment,simultaneously. The - existtogether and at the same aboutobjects and we talk aboutthings we tell storiesinde- differentshapes of the vasescome into being as a resultof the pendently presence of the actual of the articleswe referto. differentforms of the profilesand vice versa. play We store imagesof artefactsin our memory.lmages an Becauseof the intensityof the blackcolour, people usually see importantrole in culturalmemory because they representref- the blackvases first. erencecentres for humanreflections on the world. After a second glance, combinedwith a wilful change of policy, years In relationto world heritage it took several for lookingand the cognitionof two differingperspectives to be the interconnectednessbetween the materialand immaterial discoveredin the graphic,people are able to perceiveboth worldssurrounding objects to be officiallyaccepted. Interna- dimensionsof it. tionalrules have now (2003)been publishedby UNESCO- Conventionsl. Nowthey discover that they are freeto decidewhat they want they experience. Whilst until some years ago, museumsprimarily collected to see in any objectand from any situation profile- there exists materialobjects as soletestimonials to humancivilization2, we There is neveronly one vase and one materialforms analogous to "vases",with their now knowthat in additionwe mustalso save immaterial world a multitudeof or "profiles".lt is the cu- heritagein orderto increaseknowledge about mankind and its correspondingimmaterial dimensions, to decidewhich sort of vase culturaldiversity. rator'sand the spectator'schoice theywant to see.

Thisawareness of thetwo existingdimensions of thewhole re- alityholds significant consequences for the debateon material objectsand the immaterialvoices surrounding them. Referring to this knowledge,I will presentyou with three differentper- spectiveson objects.

A shorthistorical introduction to the changingpolitics of collecting. Drawingon examplesof "bestpractice", I will show you ways out of the "desertof data". The third pointshows possibleways of workingin eth- nographicalmuseums with a self-reflectiveimage of not beinga "neutralplace".

Multifarious pathways in museum collections ways into museum collections3 Facesor vases? The answer depends on what you perceiveas In the 16thand 17thcenturies in ,collecting became an the background - the black spaces or the white. Photographer Zeke Bermannhas createdthis intriguingcollage using the sil- obsessionof rulers,aristocrats, churches and later for aca- houettes of real people. demics.The naturalsciences had notyet beendeveloped and Source: "Goblet Portraits" by Zeke Bermann (c) 1978 peopleworldwide collected exciting and exoticthings for their

MUSEUMAKTUELL Dez.09/Januar 2010 10 curio galleries(Kuriositätenkabinette). Such collectionswere naturalscience system: they were orderedaccording to their intendedto prove that the objectstherein were examplesfor geographicalprovenience and similarityof their forms and the varietiesof the creationalact. The unusualand the rare classifiedaccording to an imaginedstage of civilization. were the criteria for collectedpieces. Ethnographicobjects were seen as equal to Europeanones and all artefactswere Questionsarose as to how far these objects representedan presentedaccording to theirmaterial conditions and functions. originalprimitive world, the bottomof a pyramidof humanevo- Neitherthe proveniencenor their traditionalcontext was of lution,which culminated in the whiteAnglo-Saxon male. interestto the collectors. In the 19thcentury, museum display labels foregrounded the The owners of these galleriesinvited one anotherto private predominanceof the"white man" and hiscultural and industrial soirees where together they enjoyed the contemplationof achievements. items characterizedby curiosityand marvel.The emotional reactionsof the visitorscan be describedas betweendefence Hencewithout any comprehensiveconcept, inestimable num- and longing.The combinationof the object'spresentation was bersof objectsentered the collectionsof museums.In the best dictatedby the personalinclinations of theirowners. The col- examples,contextual knowledge about the artefacts'origins lectionof artefactswas, on the one hand,regarded as a dem- was acquiredand presented,such as time, placeand ethnic onstrationof the owner's'power, wealth and knowledgeand group. simultaneouslyas a representationof the cosmos. The attitudeof collectorsat thistime, vis-ä-vis those they took A possibleexplanation for this passionfor collectingand itemsfrom, can be exemplifiedby the way in which human amassing artefactsis that Europeansslowly started to rec- remainswere merchandisedall over the world.The remains ognizethat Europehad to be seenand understoodin a wider were not treatedlike human belongings, but ratheras objects context.As a consequenceof the rise of worldwidetravel in servingthe scientificpurpose of gainingknowledge about hu- everydirectiona, all theoriesformally used to understandthe man races.eIndividual personality and respectfor the other worldwere put to the test. weretotally disregarded.

At the end of the 17thcentury, the naturalsciences were born In case,collectors gathered information about objects by only andthe politicsof collectingchanged. The greatexpeditions of interviewingthe chiefs(or theirtranslators) about specific is- JamesCook to the SouthSeas in the 18thcentury brought for sues.Their mottowas: "One tribe- one chief- one voice". the first time massesof ethnographicobjects to the European Interviewswith peopleof differentgenerations or addressing market. genderissues are largelymissing.

At this point in time, specializedcollecting politics emerged Up untilthe 1930s,many exhibitions in Europeand the USA with a new way of systematizingobjects. The former univer- includedpeople from overseas,especially imported for the salismvanished and an ambiguityregarding the way in which shows,under the title:'Wild people- wildanimals". They were ethnographicobjects should be categorisedarose. primarilyput on displayin zoologicalgardens and the worldex- hibitions.At the time,the museumsworld wanted to represent In the 19thcentury, the majorityof largenational museums and the powerof the colonialstates opposed to the colonialized. some of the ethnographicmuseums were founded.sStep by stepthese collections were opened to the interestedcivil pub- lic:bourgeois, women, men, workers and children.6Compared to the formerpractice of exclusiveevents for a selectedpublic, the processof the democratizationof knowledgebegan.

The New York State MuseumAlbany: "Native Peoplesof New York: The three Sisters Diorama". "This diorama depicts the type of agriculturethe lroquois practiced when Europeanscame to what is now Upstate New York, beginning about 1600.This ClevelandNatural Museum of NaturalHistory (USA) exhibit strives to be authentic in all respects,from the major settingto the small details.The plants and animalsdisplayed "SearsHall of HumanEcology"s @ Rein 2006 are accurate replicationsof those that inhabitedthe lroquois world."lo @Rein 2006

Afterthe closureof the curiocabinets and the handingover of collectionsto the new museums[such as naturalhistory muse- A big step forward in changing discriminatory perspectives ums or historicalmuseumsT], primitive people were regarded of the Other was the disentanglement of artefacts from the institutionallyas beingpart of nature,comparable to floraand evolutionary system and the establishment of a new way of fauna.Ethnographic items were now organizedaccording to a evaluation according to cultural criteria.The height of the dio-

MUSEUMAKTUELL Dez.09/Januar 2010 '11 ramas was reachedafter their introductionin the 19thcentury the itemsmean to them. and museumsbegan to reconstructscenes that offeredinsight into culturalbackground, such as scenesof ordinarydaily and A combinationof the two methods,of presentingthe traditional religiouslife. way of life and of displayingthe items as art objects,was uti- lised in the exhibition,,Reisen und Entdecken.Vom Sepik an Despite these attemptsto restage the culturalmeanings of den Main"in Frankfurtam Main. collectionitems, the reconstructed"native point of view" re- mained subordinatedto the dominantWestern , perspective. Startingwith the documentedlife situationof the people liv- Up until the presentday, the voicesof the Othershave been ing in the Sepik-Areain PapuaNew Guineain the 1960s,the excludedfrom the majorityof museumpresentations. Although exhibitionshowed the collectingprocess and the transportof there have been year long debatesabout this difficultissue, itemsinto the museum.The difficultwork of the curators,with many museums are still missing key conceptsof collecting regards to their questionsaround the (primarilynon-docu- and documentationfor workingwith, at times vast, 'unknown' mented)objects and the differentstorage methods, was made collections. visible.

Up until the presentday, museum artefactshave been pre- sentedunder a Eurocentricmeasure of value in two principle ways.

"Rockefeller Wing" Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York @ Rein 2006

Firstly,they can be exhibitedas art objects:they may be dis- playedsingularly or in groups,sometimes in a showcasesup- plementedwith technicalinformation.

The second method is to show objects as they are used in everydaylife, so they will be presentedin panoramasituations or togetherwith other articlesand medias from the original context. Muse um de r wertku riili n'Vo m se p ik T ;,T:'ä1"1liffJ$ecke

The exhibitionconcluded with an art gallery,where the objects were exposedas "artobjects", independent of any information relatingthem to theirfunctional context.

The messageof this exhibitionwas to demonstratethat ob- jects must be understoodwithin their original contexts.

However,items can also be exciting in and of themselves, in the absence of any backgroundknowledge about them, e.g. regardingtheir traditionaluse. Visitorscan be impressed simply by the technicalan aestheticqualities of artifacts,ac- cordingto their own individualevaluation system. But this is the pointof shifting.

Museumder Weltkulturen: ,,Reisen und Entdecken. In the absenceof any givencontext, objects are interpretedby VomSepik an den Main",,,Welt der Frauen11"@Rein 2d09 visitorson an individualbasis, grounded in personalexperience and knowledge.lt is clearthat in an ethnographicalmuseum, the presentationof itemsas pure "artworks" is a valuationac- ln a few cases,the peoplewho producedthe itemswere invit- cordingto European/ Westernperspectives. Furthermore, it is ed to talk abouttheir life, how they used the objectsand what a limitationof the acknowledgmentof the Otheras an intellec-

MUSEUMAKTUELL Dez.09/Januar 2010 12 tualcontemporary with their own itemcentered view. 1. Historicalfacts and voices RoyalOntario Mu- seum, Toronto At leastsince the 1970s,with new educational programmes and newpolitical challenges, museums put more effort into working The ROM is dedicatedto showingthe "culturalcontact for and engagingwith publicexpectations. Visitors demanded to Canada'searliest societies and revealingthe economicand knowmore about people from other countries: how they lived, socialforces that influenced Native Art"13. how they workedand theirthoughts and opinionsabout life. New technicalmedia, such as photographyand video,were introducedinto museum exhibitions. In the 1980s,academic discussionsstarted regardingthe relationshipbetween the auraof an objectand the use of technicalequipment.

Ethnographicalexhibitions which triedto meet this need,in- vited peoplefrom abroad(as seen from )to share informationabout their way of life,for example,the exhibition "lndianTimes. Nachrichten aus dem rotenAmerika" in Frank- furtam Main(9. 11 .2002-31 .11 .2004). ln 2002,the MDW heldan exhibitionabout the historyand con- temporarylife of NorthAmerica's Native people. A partof the showwas a co-operationwith the WarmSprings Reservation in Oregon.Different aspects of dailylife (suchas fishingand the wood industry)were shown.Mr. FosterKalama (Wasco) and his sons stayedin Frankfurtam Main for some days in order to explainmore about the lifestylesin the reservation and describelndian concepts of identityto visitorsof the ex- hibition.

The enthusiasticreaction of visitorsto the novel dialogical presentationof anotherculture opened new avenuesfor pos- sibleinteractions and co-operations. I am awarethat other eth- nologicalmuseums have also used such forms of mediation and communicationfor sometime.

Sincegender and postmoderntheories have penetratedmu- seum praxis,we now know more aboutdifferent voices and perspectivesof items.Not only can genderrelated perspec- tiveson the worldbe verydifferent but thereare alsogreat vari- ü; ationsin perspectivesfrom differentgenerations. Every person RoyalOntario Museum: "World CultureGalleries; Daphne has his or herown individualstory to tell. CookellGallery of Canada:First People"ra@ Rein 2007

Ethnographicalmuseums have a specialmission within the museumscene: their collections are generally a mixture,which The ROM presentationwas characterizedby the use of differ- includesarchaeological items, high-art objects (also from the ent mediawithin a singleshowcase: historic individuals were perspectiveof their producers),items from daily life and reli- describedthrough portraits, textual citations from him or her, giousobjects. One principal duty of an ethnographicalmuseum citationsfrom Europeanswho had first contactexperiences is the presentationand translationof the conceptsof different and the inclusionof personalworn items.Whilst the mixingof traditionsand cultures,and it is the humanthat liveshis/her mediamay confuse,the idea behindthis methodopens up a culture.This means that human beings themselves should be processof interpretingto morethan just seeingan objectin its the focus of researchand mediation,for example,producer, material.technical dimensions. user,dealer, collector, curator and visitor. Every person can tell his or herown storyabout the objectsthey interact with. 2. Historical facts and mixed voices (Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg) In the following,I will show you some examplesof ways in which differentvoices can be integratedinto a museumex- The situationin Canada.between the Canadiansand the Na- hibition.The chosenexamples are organizedaccording the tive People,is a specialone comparedto other nationsand following: theirminority, ethnic groups. Whilst there are someinter-group conflicts,the inclusionand participationof the First Nation Historicalfacts and voicesRoyal Ontario Museum Cana- Peoplein Canada'scultural arena has beenwidely and popu- da (ROM), larlyaccepted. The Canadians,as a nation,are very aware Historicalfacts and mixedvoices (Kitigan Zibi Anishina- of the necessityof a dialoguebetween its NativePeople and beg,Canada), the ethnographicalmuseums which own traditionalitems. ln Historicalobjects and contemporaryvoices (ROM), addition,the First NationPeople are dedicatedto their fight Historicalobjects and differentmeanings Museum der for officialacceptance as equalsin all culturalspheres. They WeltkulturenFrankfurt am Main,Germany (MDW), insiston demonstratingthe differentpossible perspectives of Historicalobjects and contemporaryreligious leaders historicalinterpretation. MDW), Historicalpersonalities, contemporary art and artists In the culturalcentre of theAlgonquin First Nation, Kitigan Zibi (MDW). Anishinabeg,the First NationPeople showed the exhibition

MUSEUMAKTUELL Dez.09/Januar 2010 13

"WoundedKnee from different perspectives".The special ef- Here, portraitsof the advisorstogether with an image of their fect of the show were the three differentvoices tipped on white chosen object are displayed.As the object is individually papersunder each item.The first was the officialvoice of the chosen, their commentsabout the artefactshave very per- government,the secondcame from historicalFirst Nation Peo- sonaland specificmeanings. "The advisorpoints to how these plewho joined the fightand the thirdwere contemporaryyoung objects resonatethrough time and representmore than the people'svoices asking questions about the war and express- physicalmaterials from which they are made. Like the collec- ingtheir opinions about it. tion in this gallery,these objectsembody traditions, economic strategies,world views and complexrelatioflships".t0

Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, Canada: ,,Wounded Knee from different Perspectives"; @ Rein 2007

3. Historicalobjects and contemporaryvoices (RoM)

In the entrance area of the Gallery of the First People of Canada at the ROM, the exhibitionbegins with a showcase of historicalcollection objects combinedwith living voices of well-knownpersonalities from the First NationPeople. Under the title "Our Choices",the museum invitedsix Native advi- sors from communitiesacross Canadato select and explore artefactsfrom its First People collections.In the showcase, the visitorfinds informationon severallevels in additionto the lris O'Watch,Nakoda (Assiniboine)educator and language factual,technical data. specialist from Carry the Kettle Reserve, Sakatchewan: "His- torically,the Dakota cradle is a traditionalteaching tool. The cradleboard enabled infants to observe, listen and learn from their environment.The bundling of infants gave them the same security as the womb. The youngsters were taught that through observation and listening it helped them to experienceand learn from their surroundings. Thus great care and love went into the making of the cradle boards, which were beaded with signifi- cant symbols and colours meant to enrich their child's learn- ing."rzRoyal Ontario Museum, Canada"World Culture Galleries; Daphne Coowell Gallery of Canada:First People" @Rein 2007

4. Historicalobjects and different meanings Museumder WeltkulturenFrankfurt (MDW)

Founded in 1904, the MDW produced a special show to celebrateits 100th birthday.On the one hand, the exhibition providedinsight into the historyof the museumwhilst simul- taneouslybreaking away from the linear conceptof showing Omushkegowak elder, historian and storyteller; from Peawa- a stringent,objective performance of the collection.Breaking nuck, Winisk River,Ontario comments: "ln the Omushkego territory the snowshoe is the most important item for hunting with convention,the curatorswere asked to make personal and survival in winter. These items show snowshoe frames in choicesabout collectionitems from the area that they were re- the process of construction and one pair finished. The Onush- sponsiblefor. Secondly,the curatorshad to conductresearch kegowak constructed all of their own equipment and were from multipleperspectives in orderto find answers.They were self-sufficient. However, with the new equipment, like snow askedto addressthe followingquestions: machines,traditional knowledge is being lost. "r5 ROM "World Culture Galleries;Daphne Cookell Gallery of How does the ethnographicalbackground of the chosen Canada:First People" @Rein 2007. object relateto the producers,the dealers,the meaning and the functionof the object? MUSEUMAKTUELL Dez.09/Januar 2010 14

- Who were the collectors? However,the shamanicpeople who attendedthe opening - What do we know about differentvalues of the items ceremonywere excitedabout the objects,which belongedto (personalvalue, bargain value, actual value on the art the formerpeople of the Chantenand Mansen.As officially market)? acceptedrepresentatives of theirtraditional religion (shaman- - In whichanthropologists'theories were the itemsused to ism),they initiatedand conducteda ritualin the midstof the developparadigmatic, scientific examples? exhibitionto welcomethe spiritualbeings, incorporated in the - Whydid the curatorselect this particular item from his/her exhibitedritual items.Although the museum'sdirector pro- collection? testedagainst the stagingof an authenticreligious ritual in the - Why shoulda visitorcome into the museumto see this museum,she was unsuccessfulin oppositionto the shaman particularobject? who,within minutes, had set up an altarand broughtwith her allthe necessaryritual paraphernalia from Siberia. To give an exampleof the choicemade by one curator:the curatorof the OceanicDepartment, decided to includea boat from PapuaNew Guineain the exhibitionbecause of the posi- tivepersonal experience she hadwhen she traveled on a boat in the researcharea as a student.in the 1980s.1s

Collectorsand curatorsusually feel emotionallyattached to the collectionobjects and the areathe itemscome from. ln many cases,this close personal relationship to thework is the reason why the curatorcollects data from a particularitem, whilst pay- ing lessattention to others.Usually such personal information is excludedin the storyof a museumexhibition in orderto give the impressionof objectivity,however, it shouldbe keptin mind thatthey are a vitalbasis of the museum'swork and constitute an importantelement of the storiessurrounding artifacts.

5. Historical objects and contemporary reli- gious leaders(MDW) Museumder Weltkulturen: Opening Ceremony; @ MDW ln a co-operationwith three Siberianmuseums, the MDW invitedtraditional religious leaders to the openingceremony. The installationsof the historicalshamanistic objects where "Who owns traditionalculture?" and who has the rightto de- arrangedin a somewhatpoetic contemporary reconstruction of cidewhat shouldor shouldnot happenwithin an exhibitionon mythicalstories and contemporaryaltars made by artists. the Other?For the shamanthe objectsin the exhibitionwere not museum pieces but items endowedwith vital strength whichhad to be respectedand to be welcomedwithin a spe- cialritual.

6. Historical personalities, contemporary art and artists (MDW)

In this painting,Hassan Musa makes reference to a historical person,Saartjie Baartman (ca. 1789in South-AfricaKhoi San - 18.1.1816in Paris).The woman was exported first to London and laterto Paris.From 1810, her bodywas publiclyexposed, clothedin a skintightdress. She was announcedas "The Hot- tentotVenus, just arrivedfrom the interiorof ;the great- est phenomenonever exhibitedin this country".22During her naked presentationin front of scientists,she was paintedby Löonde Waillyin 181523.Hasan Musa (born1951, Sudan), who livesin Marseille/Francesince the 1970s,was intrigued by SaartjieBaatman, her life story and the fact that after her death scientistsmade a plastercast of her whole body,con- servedher genitals, skeleton and headand placedher human remainsin the Musöede I'Homme.The titleof HasanMusa's painting,,Vous ötes la plusbelle ici maisBlanche Neige qui est dans le bocauxdu Musöede l'Hommeest plus belle"refers to the storedpieces of SaartjieBaatman, reminding us of her tragicstory and the roleof museumsin artisticinterpretation.

The projectof the MDWcovered three aspects: the exhibition, the acquisitionof the paintingand a filmedinterview with the artistwho describeshis personalrelationship to the artwork. For the first time, the video documentationwas officiallyfi- nancedby the city of Frankfurtas beingan intangiblepart of the wholeartwork. Museum der Weltkulturen:Beckers 2004:@ MDW

MUSEUMAKTUELL Dez.09/Januar 2010 15

The paradigmof the 19thcentury, "from heritageto society", was reversedto "fromsociety to heritage"or "fromoutside to inside".28

In November1976, at UNESCO'sGeneral Conference in Nai- robi,official recommendations were made concerning"adult education"that "personsregarded as adult by the societyto whichthey belongdevelop their abilities, enrich their knowl- edge,improve their technical or professionalqualifications or turnthem in a newdirection and bringabout changes in their attitudesor behaviorin twofoldperspective of full personal developmentand participationin balancedand independent social,economic and cultural development"2e.

Consequently,the shiftfrom "collectionbased" organizations to "functionbased" organizations demanded participation in the collectingfor and co-curatorshipof an exhibition.There has beena paradigmaticshift from the "passivevisitor" to the "activeuser" of the museum.

Whereasin the 19thcentury the main task of museumswas in- dividualenjoyment, the museums'programs in the 20th century changedradically according to publicexpectations, both indi- vidualand collective. The museumwas seenas constitutinga socialspace designed for communication,and its collections as havingto be presentedin a waywhich ensured the optimum conditionsfor transmitting meanings. Saartjie Baatmann by Hassan Musa 200320,@ Rein 200721 To celebrateits 20thbirthday, the JewishMuseum in Frank- - furt am Main invitedeverybody to contributeprivate "Jewish" One object many stories. objectsto be shownin an exhibition("Ein gewisses jüdisches EthnographicMuseums take their opportunity Etwas"(3.2.-26.4.2009). Together with the collected objects,

At the end of the 19thcentury, museums critically questioned themselvesand their motives for the first time: "Who are we?", "Whatare our tasks?" As a result,in thefollowing years, muse- ologywas establishedas a sciencein itsown right.2a In 1954,UNESCO formulated the "Conventionfor the Protec- tionof CulturalProperty in the Eventof ArmedConflict". This Conventionhad its originsin the ruinsof the SecondWorld War and in the internationalrecognition that "war[s] to protect heritagewere not enoughto preventthe lossof irreplaceable culturalsymbols..."and "...a country could maintain control of its history,and its cultural,scientific and economicdevelop- ment- in short,its identity in theconcert of nations- onlyif the integrityof heritagecould be safeguarded."25Museums played a central,crucial role in this projectof salvationof cultural heritageand 95% of contemporarymuseums worldwide were foundedafter this War."Their initial objective was to carryout the systematicinventorying and identificationwork required to translatethe renascentpolitical and culturalaspirations into the materialreality of imagesand objects.This task,which was carriedout in the placeswhere the works were conserved, raisedthe questionof the legitimacyof the possessionof ob- jectsbetween the societiesfor whichthey had originalvalue andthe oneswhich were studying them."26 In 1970sLatin-America, as partof the post-colonialdiscourse, the conceptof the integratedmuseum emerged. Museums startedto work in collaborationwith the communitiesfrom whichthe collectionsthey housedoriginated. "The dialogue createdbetween the culturalcommunities and museumman- agementwould, in turn,change the significance,content and put place recipientsof the differenttypes of knowledge in by Participantsin this projectwere portrayedwith their objects.ln the museum.The museumwas now resolutelyturned to- the cataloguethis portraitis shown togetherwith the personal wardsits public,and paidclose attention to socialand cultural object-story. change.lt wasable to promoteintegration through its recogni- ,,GeschenkteGeschichten zum 20-Jahresjubiläumdes tionof minoritycultural values and reconciliationin the post- JüdischenMuseums am Main".Frankfurt/M. 2009, colonialcontext."27 S. 182-183.Foto: Axel StephanFotodesign

MUSEUMAKTUELL Dez.O9/Januar 2010 16 the museumalso displayed the storiessurrounding them - for exposed to different interests and visions that require a new example,why an objectwas regardedas beingJewish. The discourse."3s projectmotivated more than 100people to participateand was a greatsuccess for the institution. For ethnographic museums, central topics for future consid- eration should be those questions surrounding processes of As we know,human beings react differently to situationsthey appropriationand ways of producingcultural values and imagi- encounterin lifeand rememberdifferently according to a vari- nations,which can be addressed by drawing on dialogues re- ety of factors,including gender, age, descent and heritage. garding tangible and intangibleworld heritage. Critical self-re- flectionsabout the European idea of representationand about It is the role of museumsto promotethe pluralityof voices the appointment of Europe as a "world interpretation centre"36 surroundingtheir collections, not only to meetpublic demand are necessary conditionsfor a future ethnographic museum. but alsoto documentthe richnessand diversityof humancul- Cultural diversity, participation and social inclusion (as op- turalproductions and self reflections on tangibleand intangible posed to integration)are the great challengesfor our multi-eth- worldheritage. nic societies. ln Germany, we generally still prefer to discuss the concept of integrationrather than that of participation.In my Up untilthe mid-20thcentury, ethnographic museums primarily opinion,this needs to be changed in the near future in order to 'recent' put on exhibitionsabout historically culturesthat were better work together - to quote the topic of our conference: 'far away'(ingeographical and culturalrelation to Europeand the West). One key aspect was the fact that objects were "for reconciliationand peace for values as mutual re- consideredto be uncontaminatedby "modernculture" contact. spect, trust and shared commitment to each other". However,this successful working concept, which flourished for severaldozen years, was put intoquestion as a resultof glo- However, we should remember, the voices that will be repre- bal developments.This paradigmaticchange achieved clarity sented in a museum's exhibitionswill always depend upon sci- and is reflectedin the ferventdebates regarding new planned entific and politicalparameters. What this means is that there buildingsfor "oldethnographic museums". (e.9. Leipzig [Mu- is no neutral place in any museum. seumfür Völkerkundezu Leipzig2005], Paris [Mus6e du quai Branly20061, Köln [Rautenstrauch-Jost Museum 2010?], Ber- This text was published in the conference reader of the ICOM- lin Museum],Frankfurt am Main der ICMEconference 2009 in Seoul,Oct. 21"t2009,Day 3 (Wed),pp [Ethnologisches [Museum - Weltkulturenl). 191-20911-211 under the title: One object Many stories: The Museumis no 'Neutral'Place. The text will be publishedin 2010 under the same title by the InternationalJournal of Intangible position It seems that ethnographicmuseums are in the of Heritage(lJlH) National Folk Museumof Korea,vol. 5. havingto makea decision.Do theywant to be a typeof a mu- seumwith historicalor antiqueartifacts? In suchan institution, they would primarilywork towardsthe maintenanceof world Bibliography heritageaccording to the basicquestions regarding the social conditionsof humansocieties (Grundfragen des menschlichen Diawara,Mamadou: The impossiblelook. A Viewfrom Africa. In: Wei- Zusammenlebens).The commontaxonomy is still according bel,Peter; Andrea Buddensieg (Hg.): Contemporyry Art and the to geographicalcategories (such as continents,geographical Museum.A GlobalPerspektive. Ostfildern 2007 , pp. 174-183 regions),groups of objects(such as boatsof the Pacific,cudg- Feest,Christian (Hg.): Indian Times. Nachrichten aus dem rotenAme- rika.Wien u.a.2002: Museum der Weltkulturen els of theAsmat) and generaltopics (such as life-cyclerituals, - Filitz,Thomas: Einleitung. Präsentation und Repräsentationals Blick- ancestry,kingdom, cannibalism, headhunting, China art and regime.In: Eberhard, lgor; Julia Gohm; Margit Wolfsberger (Hg.): power3o). Kathedraleder Kulturen.Repräsentation von Ozeanienin Kunst und Museum.Wien u.a. 2008, pp.17-32 In the example of presentingethnographic objects as art Gross,Raphael (u.a. Hg.): Geschenkte Geschichten. Zum 20. Jahres- objects,the "Pavillondes Sessionto the Palaisdu Louvre"31 Jubiläumdes Jüdischen Museums Frankfurt am Main.FrankfurU couldbe a takenas a prototypefor an ethnographicmuseum. M.2009 lndependentof geographicalor culturalcontextualization, the Gruzinski,Serge:The Mestizio Mind. In: Weibel/ Buddensieg2007, pp.184-197 objectsare presentedhere as singularart objects.lf a visitor Kaschuba,Wolfgang:Humboldt Forum: Europe and the Rest of the wantsmore informationabout the exhibits,he or she has the World?In: Flierl,Thomas; Hermann Pazinger (Hg.): Humboldt opportunityto searchthe digitaldata in a PC centre. ForumBerlin. Das Projekt. The Project.Berlin 2009: Theater der Zeit,p.146 However,this form of presentationmeans the transformation Lepenies,Wolf: Abschied vom intellektuellenKolonialismus. Nicht- of artifactsinto art objects, accordingto Jacque Maquet: it westlicheKulturen: Was Berlinaus der Debatteüber das Musöe became"art by metamorphosis",i.e. an item becomesan art du Quai Branlyin Parislernen kann (2008).http://www.welt.de/ objectthrough the processof appropriation.32 welt_prinUarticlel8581 77lAbschied_vom _intellektuellen_Kolo- nialis-mus.htmlconsulted 1 .4.2008 Maquet,Jacques: Introduction to AestheticAnthropology. Malibu 1979 Anotheroption for an ethnographicmuseum is the develop- [firstpubl. 1971] mentinto an institutionwith a knowledgelaboratory, "Wissens- Meijer-vanMensch, Leontine:Vom Besucherzum Benutzer,unpu- Laboratorium".This laboratorywould principally document the blishedmanuscript, 2009 actual processesof transformationsin global networksand Menschenrechtein vielfarbigenWelten. ln: interculture-journal.com, how People from several regionsof the world have reacted Univ.Jena, Jg. 8, Ausg.7, http://www.interculture-journal.com, always adversecolonial dominance with their own creative 2009,pp.3-10 potentials.33The so-calledculture of disappearance3atogether Ministeriumfür Kulturder RussischenFöderation (Hg.): Aus Mythi- schenZeiten. 300 JahreSchamanismus in Westsibirien.Mos- with the "ethnographicpresence" would no longermake any kau 2003 sensein the contextof an ethnographicmuseum today. Museumder Weltkulturen(Hg.): Ansichtssachen. Ein Lesebuchzu Museumund Ethnologiein Frankfurtam Main. Frankfurt/M. In recentyears, concepts of the "Other"and the "We" have 2004 changedfrom a somewhat homogenouscategory to a very Raabe,Eva (Hg.):Reisen und Entdecken.Vom Sepikan den Main. heterogeneousone. "This means that the museum,once Hintergründeeiner Ausstellung. FrankfurUM. 2008 regardedas a containerfor long standingcollections, is now Rein,Anette: Ansichtssachen. Perspektiven der Arbeitam Museum

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der Weltkulturen,FrankfurUM. In: Ansichtssachen, p. 11-28 an own EthnographicalMuseum or if one finds ethnographic Schlösser,Speere, Perlenstickereien- die Vielfaltdes Welterbes. collectionsin HistoricalMuseums, in NationalMuseums or in 2009 NaturalHistory Museums (like in Cleveland). WorldHeritage and Arts Education.Univ. Paderborn. http://groups.uni- "Seehow humanshave interacted with the naturalworldaround paderborn.de/stroeter-bender/medien/whaeAlVHAE_1.pdf,pp. them. Plants and animalsand artifactsfrom 11 culturesfrom 17-22 North and SouthAmerica, Mesoamerica, Africa, and New Guinea are representedhere." http://www.cmnh.org/site/ AtThe M u se u m/Yo u rG a | | e ryG u id e/M a i n Leve | . a s px#sea rs h a | | of h Zur Verfasserin: umanecologyconsulted 28th of August2009 Dr. Anette Rein (geb.1955), Studium an der FU-Berlin:Ethnologie, This businesswith humain remainsignores completely any Altamerikanistik,Soziologie und Erwachsenenbildung.1985-1987 ethic aspect.In some cultureslime the lnuit,for vivid peopleit und im folgendenJahrzehnt Feldforschungen auf Balizu traditionellen is forbiddento touchhuman bones of diseasedpeople. Although Tänzen; Promotion 1994. Von 1976-1985 Freie Mitarbeiterin sceletonsor skinsof themwere found in museums.Only in 1993 am Museum für VölkerkundeBedin (EthnologischesMuseum), the humanremains of the familyof the InuitMini had to be trans- AbteilungenEuropa und Altamerika.Von 1988-2000Lehre im Fach ferredfrom theAmerican Museum of NaturalHistory in NewYork Ethnologiean den UniversitätenMainz, Kupang (Timor) und Leipzig. to his country. http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minik_Wallacecon- Von2000-2008 Direktorin des Museumsder Weltkulturenin Frankfurt sulted21'st of April 2009. ln 2002 the skeleton,her conservated am Main. Seit 2008 WissenschaftlicheProjektleiterin, Entwicklung brainand the genitalsfrom SaartjieBaartman (+1816 in Paris) einesKonzepts und dessenUmsetzung für ein Wissenschaftszentrum were transferredfrom the Musöe de I'Homme back to South im Rhein-Main-Gebiet.Lehrbeauftragte an der Goethe-Universität Africawhere she originallywas born.http://de.wikiped ia.org/wiki/ Frankfurtam Main und an der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Sarah_Baartmanconsulted 21"'of April2009 Mainz. Gutachterinfür die ReinwardtAkademie in Amsterdamim 10 http://www. nysm. nysed. gov/l roquoisVi Ilage/sistersone. html con- StudiengangMuseologie (Master-Arbeiten).Mitglied im Vorstand sulted28thof August 2009 des InternationalenMuseumsrats Deutschland (ICOM D) und im 1',1 The worldof women Vorstanddes InternationalCommittee for Museumsand Collections As informationwas given: "Skulptur,Holz, Oberer Korewori, of Ethnography(ICME). Vertreterinvon ICOM D im Deutschen ohne Datierung"(Sculpture, wood, upper Korewori,without an Kunstratund im DeutschenKulturrat (Fachausschüsse Bildung und age determination) Kulturfinanzierung).Begleitung von Stipendiatenim MainCampus 13 http://www. rom.on.ca/exhibitions/wcu lture/fi rstpeoples. php con- Stipendiatenwerkder StiftungPolytechnische Gesellschaft Frankfurt sulted29thof August 2009 am Main. 40 Publikationenu.a. zu folgendenThemenbereichen: 14 http://www.rom.on.calmed ialpodcasts/display. php?id =7 1 Museum,(lm)materielle Kultur, Tanzethnologie, Ritual- und Gender- consulted28th of August2009. This addressshows you a video forschung,Menschenrechte und Indonesien. on the "ChiefSitting Bull's Headdress" from 2008 't5 Schifferstr.68 Quotedfrom the text underthe portrait2007 60594Frankfurt am Main,Germany 16 Quotedfrom a text in the exhibition2006 't7 [email protected] Quotedfrom the text underthe portrait2006 18 Quotedfrom the text underthe portrait2007 Notes 19 http://www.mdw-f ra n kf u rt. de/Deutsch/Ausstellu ngen/ Vergangene_Ausstel Iu ngen/Ansichtssachen_aus_100_Jah ren./ 1 In Parison the 17thof October2003 the GeneralAssembly of the Booklets/index.phtmlconsulted 30thof August 2009. Quoted from UNECSO passedthe Conventionfor the safe guardingof the the homepageof the MDW;booklet p.32, Eva Raabe:"Persön- IntangibleCultural Heritage (lCH). After 30 States had ratified licheBeziehung" (Personal Relationship) the Conventionbecame operative on the 20'hof April2006. Since MDW'Black Paris. Kunst und Geschichteeiner schwarzen Dia- then 104 countriesjoined the Convention(Status from October spora1906-2006" (1 6.3.-4.1 1.2007\, 254 x 160cm. 2008). Until now, Germany has not ratifiedthe Convention. 21 This art-projectwas part of the proposal for a permanent http://www. u nesco.de/i m materielles-kultu rerbe. html?&L=0 con- exhibitionin the new buildingplanned for the MDW.During the sulted 28thof August 2009. http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/ exhibitionin the MDW'sGallery37, "Black Paris" the museum index.php?pg=00002consulted 28th of August2009 decidedto buy a paintingby HassanMusa. 2 Manymuseums have very good audioarchives etc. But veryfew A new buildingfort the MDW was plannedsince the move into of them combinedthe tangibleand the intangibleaspects while the villaSchaumainkai 29 in 1969.Already three times the plans documentingcollected items. were stoppedbecause of financialproblems of the city (lasttime 3 Aspects of this text were part of my lecture at the Goethe- on the l rst of September2009). UniversityFrankfurt am Main "Einführungin das Studium 22 http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel geschichte/O, 15 18,48430 1,00. html (im)materiellerKulturen" and of my paper "The Ethnographical consulted30thof August 2009 Museum Today. A Personal Estimate" presented at the 23 see note 9 conference"Summer Seminar 2009 "ContemporaryArt and the 24 The followingtext refers to the paper of LeontineMeijer-van GlobalAge" organizedby the ZKM (Centerfor Art and Media Mensch,Amsterdam, ,Vom Besucher zum Benutzer",presented Karlsruhe). on the 11'hof May 2009 at the conferenceof the Deutscher a ChristophColumbus 1492 in America;Vasco da Gama 1496 Museumsbundin Stralsund way to ,Hernan Cortez 1519121conquered Mexico), James 25 http://portal.unesco.org/cultu relen/ev. php-U RL_l D=5068&U RL_ Cook1768-1780 three expeditions into the SouthSeas. DO=DO TOPIC&URLSECTION=2O1.html consulted 2nd of 5 1787:Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Neapel; 1793 Mus6um September2009 national d'histoires naturelle, Paris; 1800: Rijksmuseum 26 http://portal. unesco.org/cu ltu relen/ev. ph p-U RL_l D=5068&U RL_ Amsterdam,Den Haag;1818: Museu Nacional da Universidade DO=DO TOPIC&URLSECTION=201.html consulted 2nd of Federaldo Rio de Janeiro),Brasilia; Vlasteneckö muzeum v September2009 Öechäch,Prag; 1855 Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, München; 27 http://portal. unesco.org/cu lture/en/ev. ph p-U RL_l D=5068&U RL_ 1866: ArchäologischesNationalmuseum, E0vrrö ApXoroÄoyrrö DO=DO TOPIC&URLSECTION=2O1.html consulted 2nd of Mouoeio,Athen; 1882: Nationales Historisches Museum, E0vrrö September2009 loroprröMouoeio, Athen; 1883: lsländische Nationnalmuseum 2A http://portal. unesco.org/cu lture/en/ev. ph p-U RL_l D=5068&U RL_ (isländ. Fjööminjasafnis/ands); 1887: Museo Arqueolögico DO=DO TOPIC&URLSECTION=2O1.html consulted 2nd of Nacionalde Espafra,Madrid. September2009 EthnographicalMuseums: 1753: British Museum, London; 1837: 29 http://www. unesco.org/education/pdf/NAl ROB_E. PD F consulted Rijksmuseumvoor Volkenkunde1864: Colonial Museum, Har- 2nd of September2009 lem; 1869:Museum für Völkerkundezu Leipzig;1878: Königli- 30 Comparabletitles were found in the exhibition"Anders zur Welt chesZoologisches und Anthroplogisches Ethnographisches Mu- kommen.Das Humboldt-Forumim Schloß. Ein Wekstattblick" seumDresden; 1882: Linden-Museum, Stuttgart; 1897: Museum (09.7.2009-17.1 .2010\. Berlin 2009 für VölkerkundeHamburg. 31 "lnauguratedin April 2000,the Pavillondes Sessionsis located 6 JuliaVoss ,,Der Betrachter im Ohr".ln FAZv.22.8.2009,S. 31 on the southside of the Palaisdu Louvre,between the Florewing 7 Untiltoday it dependson the cities'scultural politics if they have and the Denonwing, and exhibits120 masterpieces of sculptu-

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re from throughoutthe worldin the heartof one of the world's greatestclassical fine arts museums."http://www.quaibranly.frl en/collections/pavillon-des-sessions.htmlconsulted 6.9.2009 Maquet1979, p.9 Filitz2008. o.'.20 Gruzinski2007, p. 19fI 35 Weibel/ Buddensieg2007 , p. 11 36 Kaschuba2009. o. 146 rpa I isteren i-hrp Prn i p ktp I Anzeige

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4 Nachrichten 7 Namen,Literatur I Zu guter Letzt 46 Das ist neu beiwww.museum-aktuell.de

Museologisches

Anette Rein One Object- ManyStories: The Museumis no "neutral"place

Das große Jubiläum

19 Rainer Springhorn ZwischenTradition und Moderne:Das LippischeLandesmuseum Detmoldwird 175Jahre alt

Scientifica

Caroline Eva Gerner - Wie sehr Wissenschaftund Sammeln zusammenhängen, Wissenschaftaus Leidenschaft in Kassel zeigen einige Beiträge dieser Ausgabe. Wissenschaftliche DasAstronomisch-Physikalische Kabinett fnstrumente hatten von Anfang an ihren Pla|z in den Kunst- Christian Müller-Straten oder und Wunderkammern,waren nützliche Werkzeuge Der Mathematisch-PhysikalischeSalon Dresden zeigt Prezio- reine Schauobjekteund wurden in ihrer raffiniertenTechnik sen im MaximilianmuseumAugsburg geschätztund verstanden.Noch raffiniertergebaut waren die wissenschaftlichenAutomaten, bei denen humorvolleldeen Marit Teerling und der Reizvon einsehbarenoder extra verborgenen mecha- Als TECHNOSEUMin die Zukunft.Das Landesmuseumfür nischenAbläufen hinzukamen. Wißbegierde und Erkenntnisin- Technikund Arbeit in Mannheimändert zum 1. Januar2010 teresseals Triebfederfrüher Sammelleidenschaft bestimmten nichtnur seinen Namen das Verständnisvon Natur und Kunst und Technik,des eige- nen Lebens und fremder,exotischer Welten. Die so entstan- Konservierung geht alle an denenSammlungen in Wien,Dresden, Kassel oder Pragsind damit Belegeder Technikentwicklungund auch Dokumente 37 FriederikeKlemm historischerWeltbilder, die in ihrer Bedeutungoft unterschätzt Aktuelleszur Kulturguterhaltung werden,selbst unter Museumsleuten. Laufendeund kommendegroße Ausstellungen Vieleinteressante Ausstellungen erwarten uns in diesemJahr, der Überblickvon KorneliaStinn gibt eine kleine Auswahl. Der 40 Kornelia Stinn dahinter steckendeArbeits- und Kostenaufirand,die strate- Blockbusterverdächtigin 201 0 gische Planung,auch die innovativeKreativität der Themen- Das erwartetuns im deutschsprachigenRaum findungund lnszenierungsind schnellvergessen, wenn die 47 Summaries Besucherzahlenwieder einmalalle vorsichtigenErwartungen 50 lmpressum übertreffen.

Daß die Begeisterungder Verantwortlichenauf die Besucher überspringt,Weiterbildung ganznebenbei passiert und die ein- zelnenAusstellungen noch langein guter Erinnerungbleiben Zum Titelbild: mögen,das jedenfallsist den verantwortlichenFach- und Ver- waltungsleuten,ihren Finanziersund Sponsoren,aber auch Himmelsglobusautomat ihrenBesuchern zu wünschen. Augsburg,1586. Georg Roll und JohannesReinhold. Kupferschalen, Messing,graviert, punziert, vergoldet, Palisanderholz. Erworben 1 586 Etwasscheint allerdings auch diesesJahr wiederzu fehlen: von KurfürstChristian l. Ei ne fächerübergreifende, ku lturwissenschaft |ich-natu rwissen- Mathematisch-PhysikalischerSalon, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen schaftlicheGemeinschaftsausstellung zum Thema,,Astrologie Dresden,Inv. Nr. E ll 2 verbindeteinen Himmelsglobus mit Uhrwerk, -Astronomie",welche die altenwissenschaftlichen Instrumen- Der Globusautomat eine bekrönendeArmillarsphäre und einenkleinen Erdglobus als auf Künstlerund ihr te in ihrem Kontextzeigt, vielleicht auch Darstellungdes gesamtenKosmos. Neben den Tagenund Monaten astrologischesWeltbild verweist, beispielsweiseauf Dürer, des lulianischenund GregorianischenKalenders lassen sich u. a. aber auch moderne Erkenntnisseüber Astrologieund Astro- Sternbilderund die Bewegungvon Sonneund Mondablesen. nomiemiteinschließt. Signiert:,,GEORG / ROLL ET / IOHANNES/ REINHOLD/ ELABORAB/ANTAVG / VSTAE/ 1586g. AdelheidStraten Nochbis zum 14.Februar 2010 zu sehenin derAusstellung WELTENGLANZ.Der Mathematisch-PhysikalischeSalon Dresdenzu Gast in Augsburg Dienstag10-20 h, Mittwochbis Sonntag10-17 h 1. +49 (0)821-324-4103,-4112, Kasse: 4167 Maximilianmuseum Fuggerplatz1, 86150Augsburg http://www.kunstsammlungen-augsburg.de http: //www.we lten g Ia nz. d e

MUSEUMAKTUELL Dez.O9/Januar 2010