Where is the Queer? A case study of LGBTQ representation in Aotearoa New Zealand exhibitions by Peter Derksen A dissertation submitted to Victoria University of Wellington in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Museum and Heritage Studies. Victoria University of Wellington 2018 Abstract Modern museums and galleries are cultural spaces that often participate in human rights advocacy and social activism. Exhibitions within these spaces are the physical manifestations of these ideologies, the way that institutions connect with their audiences and with the communities they purport to represent. ‘Where is the Queer?’ explores the ways that museums and galleries in Aotearoa represent queerness within their exhibitions, in various stages of the development process. This dissertation addresses a key gap in the literature by critically re-engaging with queerness, exploring the intersections between queer theory and museum theory in an area under-examined in New Zealand practice. This research was exploratory in nature, utilizing a credible multi-method case study approach to retrieve data from an ephemeral process, exhibition production. Archival documentary research provided the necessary background to the exhibitions’ development, as well as supporting evidence for various curatorial choices. Interviews with curators then established key areas of interest, including curatorial strategies, conceptual goals, tailored public programming, and their perspectives on issues with LGBTQ representation. The findings of this research show that exhibiting queerness is difficult terrain to negotiate, although museums and galleries generally aim to present and include a diversity of perspectives in a balanced way. However, the ways that queerness is represented also tend to rely on now outdated ideologies, such as an emphasis on gay men’s perspectives, reductive ‘coming-out’ narratives, and a neutral stance on the messages the exhibitions put forward. The comparative analysis of the cases points to the need for museums and galleries to engage more critically with queer history, theory and the community more broadly. In practice, this means greater levels of collaboration with the communities they hope to serve, taking a more activist approach that gives authority to queer voices throughout development. This is significant as queer communities become increasingly visible and celebrated in New Zealand society; representing these communities in public spaces needs to be a process in line with current ideas and not rely on defunct, overly simple, or potentially damaging modes of representation. This research therefore has applicability for both museum curatorial practice and a broader human rights movement, by challenging the sector within New Zealand and internationally to engage effectively with queer content. 1 Acknowledgements To my supervisor, Dr. Lee Davidson, Victoria University of Wellington: Thank you for your valuable input throughout this research process, without which I would have floundered in academic confusion. Your patience with my time management skills has been hugely appreciated, as well as the generosity you’ve shown with your time, your considerate comments and plentiful feedback. To Dr. Conal McCarthy and Annie Mercer: For your incredible support, guidance and patience throughout this degree, I thank you – and look forward to crossing paths again in the future. To Michael Lett and Lynette Townsend: Without your willingness to reflect on your experiences openly and thoughtfully, this research would never have happened. My sincere gratitude for sharing your time and insights with me. To Te Tuhi and Te Papa: I truly appreciate both institutions for providing me access to their archives, which were essential components of this research. A special thankyou to Amy at Te Tuhi for your significant help throughout my archival placement, which inspired a large part of this project. To my Masters of Museum and Heritage Studies peers: Although it was a hard slog, we made it in the end! 120k closer to our futures - time for a break. To Claire and Nicola: Best friends are like eyebrows: you don’t always see them, they’re often too far apart, but you know they’re always there and looking snatched. To my mum and dad: Love, gratitude, and endless thanks. And lastly, to my queer predecessors: This type of research could never have even been thought of without you fighting for our rights – I’ll never forget it. 2 Table of Contents Abstract .................................................................................................................................... 1 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ 2 Table of Contents ................................................................................................................ 3 Chapter 1: Introduction .................................................................................................. 4 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 4 Literature Review ................................................................................................................... 5 Museums, activism and human rights ............................................................................... 7 LGBTQ in the sector ........................................................................................................ 11 Collecting queer objects.................................................................................................... 14 Exhibition-making ............................................................................................................ 16 Summary ............................................................................................................................ 19 Research Design .................................................................................................................... 19 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 28 Chapter 2: Case Studies ................................................................................................ 29 Implicated and Immune: Artists’ Responses to AIDS 1992 ................................................. 29 Summary ................................................................................................................................ 34 Implicated and Immune 2015 ................................................................................................ 35 Summary ................................................................................................................................ 39 Slice of Heaven: 20th Century Aotearoa 2010-2017 ............................................................. 40 Summary ................................................................................................................................ 43 Chapter 3: Synthesis & Comparison ...................................................................... 45 Conceptual representation ................................................................................................... 45 Representation within the development process ................................................................ 49 Representation on the floor .................................................................................................. 51 Representation through objects ........................................................................................... 55 Reclaiming representation ................................................................................................... 56 Representation as activism ................................................................................................... 58 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 61 Appendix 1: Interview Schedule ............................................................................... 69 Bibliography ........................................................................................................................ 72 3 Chapter 1: Introduction Introduction Working as an archival intern at the Te Tuhi Centre for the Arts in Auckland in 2017, a significant part of my internship was focused on wading through a plethora of exhibition documents. Of particular interest to me was exploring those that had been retained from an HIV/AIDS responsive exhibition called Implicated and Immune – not an easy task, and one especially mired by the amount of seemingly ‘useless junk’ that had been retained. Throughout this process I came across a lot of material written by Lennid Taku, a curatorial assistant from Te Papa who had a significant role in developing the exhibition’s concept, having been a volunteer at the NZ AIDS Foundation for several years. This ephemeral material – scribblings, notes, memos, the occasional doodle – gave me a distinct sense of his personality, and from what I could gather from this material he was dedicated to his work, attuned to detail and determined to make Implicated and Immune a sensitive and well-rounded exhibition. After weeks of coming across his work, I did a quick google search to see where his career had taken him. As it turns out, Lennid Taku had gone missing in Florida in 2007,