Yes, Dear Claudia, the museum has to choose on how to present the themes and
their objects. And they will be judged on this decision.
Peter, the Rebernik
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 | Peter Rebernik, Dipl.-Ing.
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-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Nicholson, Claudia <[log in to unmask]>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.museum-l
An: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Datum: Mittwoch, 13. Mai 1998 14:22
Betreff: FW: Military uniforms


>>----------
>>From:  Nicholson, Claudia
>>Sent:  Wednesday, May 13, 1998 8:18 AM
>>To:    'Museum-L'
>>Subject:       Military uniforms
>>
>>Heleanor is quite right about military uniforms having a context.  I would
>>agree that ALL objects have any number of contexts.  However, as museums,
I
>>don't think that we are required to cover every context every time we
exhibit
>>the artifact.
>>
>>My favorite example comes from Barbara Carson, and was presented to me
many
>>years ago at a workshop.  Take a late 19th century cut glass bowl.  You
can
>>look at it as an aesthetic object--what is its design?  You can look at it
as
>>an example of the glass cutter's craft--how did such a thing get made?
You
>>can look at it as an object that tells the world how affluent the person
who
>>has it in their home was--how much did it cost?  Through what network did
it
>>end up in the person's home?  You can look at how such an object might
have
>>been cared for it--who washed and dusted it--the lady of the house?
[women's
>>role in the late 19th century] or the maid? [women's role in the late 19th
>>century; place of servants in the home of the affluent; class differences
>>between upper and lower class women; labor].  However, that doesn't mean
>>necessarily that I want to tackle all of these issues in one exhibit.
>>Usually, the practice is to pick one, maybe two, and leave the rest for
other
>>exhibits.
>>
>>Fred Schroeder's "Seven Ways to Look at an Artifact" shows us much the
same
>>thing.
>>
>>Military uniforms can be considered simple interestingly-designed
garments.
>>Whether or not the museum should is another question--depends on the
mission
>>of the museum, doesn't it?  If the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan
>>Museum of Art were to do an exhibit on military uniforms, would you demand
>>that they show pictures of dead bodies in the background?
>>
>>Yes, war is a horrible, stinking thing--an experience that I fear can
never
>>be adequately conveyed in a museum exhibit (just talk to a veteran).  And
>>yes, there are many museums where that might be an appropriate topic,
>>including the museum that originally generated this thread.  However, I
think
>>that they can decide to do something else with their collection, and we
>>should let them.
>>
>>Claudia Nicholson
>>Curator
>>Museum Collections Department
>>Minnesota Historical Society
>>345 Kellogg Blvd. W.
>>St. Paul, MN  55102-1906
>>      Tel: 612-297-7442
>>      FAX: 612-297-2967
>>      e-mail:  [log in to unmask]
>>
>