K-12 and Family Programmers and Exhibitions and Interpretation

RSVP: Jessica Pastore

Description: 

In a collaboration between the K-12 and Family Programs and Exhibits and Interpretation Peer Groups, this meeting will focus on the reinterpretation of collections through an anti-racist and anti-biased lens. Inspired by the current political atmosphere surrounding Black Lives Matter and the resulting conversations about museums’ place in society as cultural institutions, many museums have released statements in solidarity with BLM and have begun internal reflections on their collections and interpretation. How can an institution be sure to communicate both an historically and politically correct account of objects, events, and people to their youngest audiences? We will look at two projects which sought to address some of these challenges; an artist-led intervention and a student-led re-installation of African artwork. Through these we will consider what we need when applying anti-racist lens to the interpretation of our collections and/or content and how that influences our work.

Suggested Readings: 

Karp and Wilson “Constructing the Spectacle of Culture in Museums” 

Excerpt from MASS Action Toolkit Chapter 1

AUTHORS: Adam Patterson, Aletheia Wittman, Chieko Phillips, Gamynne Guillotte,Therese Quinn, Adrianne Russell