-----Original Message-----
From: h s [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 19 June 2001 08:54
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Thesis Research
To Museum-L members,
My name is Harmony Simmons and I am a graduate student
in the Museum Studies program at San Francisco State
University. I am gathering data for my thesis on the
display of non-Western art in museums and I value your
opinion as a professional who works with non-Western
collections.
I am researching the ethics of display of non-Western
artifacts in anthropology and art museums as well as
what changes/trends are taking place in these
exhibits. I know your time is valuable and therefore
this questionnaire is as brief as possible.
Your helpful suggestions will be credited to you,
unless you specify that you prefer your comments to
remain anonymous. Please feel free to contact me
off-list with your responses: [log in to unmask]
Thank you again for your time.
Sincerely,
Harmony Simmons.
Your Name:
Title:
Institution: Anthropology Section, Stellenbosch University Museum
Address: 52 Ryneveld Street, Stellenbosch
Phone/E-mail:[log in to unmask]
May I credit your responses in the thesis? - as Anthropology Section
PREFATORY NOTE:
The following response to your questionnaire pertains strictly to the
anthropological collection and displays of the University Museum, and NOT to
those objects variously regarded as examples of
'African/primitive/esoteric/non-Western art' in the Museum's art collection.
The latter circumstance is the result of an 'art' bequest to the University
Museum, and in no way reflects the view of the Anthropology Section of the
Museum.
1. What is the curatorial area of your Permanent
display(s) of non-Western art?
_____ Continental Africa _____ Asia
______Pacific rim/islands
____ Native American
Other:_______________________________
ANSWERS 1 & 2.
The Anthropology Section neither collects nor displays Eurocentric
misconceptions such a "non-Western art". The anthropological collection
itself is an African collection with a pronounced Southern African focus.
The displays reflect this bias. Some displays are more 'permanent' than
others, for curatorial reasons, as well as for reasons related to the
considerations mentioned in 3. below. The life span of the less 'permanent'
displays average, say, 5 years.
2. What is the average life span of the 'permanent'
display in your department?
____ 5 years or less
____ 5-7 years
____ 7-10 years
____ more than 10 years
When was your permanent display last updated?_____
3. Does your department organize objects in cases
according to:
___ type, ____material, ____use or function,
____region, or _____maker in its permanent displays?
How are these rearranged or updated?
ANSWER 3.
Display themes vary, and are consciously varied. This is mainly determined
by the potential of the collection, and by regional and topical
considerations. Accordingly, various criteria are applied in the mounting of
displays, e.g. medium, function, geographic and ethnic provenance, fields of
activity, techniques and technological processes, institutional types and
characteristics, comparative features, stylistic
uniformity/continuity/variation/change, etc. Often, several criteria are
combined in the same display, depending on the theme concerned.
4. Does your department write the labels for your
permanent display? Do the labels include any of the
following? ___First Person, ___Third Person,
___References for information given, ___Author of
label, ___Other, please list
How often are the labels updated in your department?
ANSWER 4.
Display labels and explanatory texts are written by ourselves, i.e. the
Anthropology Section. While these follow the conventions of ethnographic
writing, technical (anthropological and vernacular) terms/concepts are
appropriately circumscribed. Source references for information given, are
indicated when dealing with instances/aspects beyond our own expertise -
sources permitting, that is: not all African societies have yet been
studied, and those that have, not necessarily adequately so for specifically
museum purposes.
5. Does your collection include contemporary works
from the cultures/countries you exhibit? ___yes
___no
If not, can you indicate the reason(s)?
___institutional collections policy,
___lack of materials available
___monetary constraints
___other reason(s):_________________________________
ANSWER 5.
What exactly is meant by the inclusion (or otherwise) of "contemporary works
from the cultures/countries" exhibited? Barring philosophical musings or
metaphysical notions about life and the cosmos as art, anthropological
artefacts are not classifiable on a par with art/art works in the Western
sense of the term. Nor are they collectable along the same lines (e.g. on
the basis of conventionally recognised or standardised stylistic periods) or
obtainable in the same way. Such artefacts are ideally collected in the
field in an ethically acceptable manner, and professionally contextualised.
And as such, they reflect the ecological, social and cultural condition of
a given society at a given time in a given region/locality/environment. This
follows from the fact that anthropological artefacts form part of the
material systems of the societies concerned. Furthermore, it is virtually
impossible to collect the full range of objects comprising the material
system of any society. It is even more impossible to every so often
'harvest' the same society in order to be able to constantly present
contemporary objects from that society (should something of this nature be
ethically tenable).
The problematic expressed by these general remarks (which also serve to
reiterate the fundamental ontological distinction between anthropological
artefacts and art/art works) is compounded by the contemporary African
reality. African societies are currently swept by radical (= destructive?)
change on all levels, ecologically, materially, socially and culturally, due
to, inter alia, accelerating local and regional conflict, land encroachment,
"upliftment" and "development", and urbanisation. Consequently, many type
objects are no longer produced and used, and thus unobtainable. It has
become financially prohibitive to launch research and collecting
expeditions, given the widely flung ethno-geographic sources of our
collection. Security risks are undoubtedly also involved. Obviously, this is
not to deny the legitimacy, and validity, of the scientific brief to account
for change. But how are stylistic changes in, for example, carving, beadwork
and dress, symbolic changes in ceremony and ritual, social structural
change, etc. To be ascertained and studied other than by intensive, emically
sensitive fieldwork? And how are stylistically contemporary objects to be
differentiated and understood if these and many other prior and contextually
crucial questions are not answered?
In contemporary Africa, the urgent priority is to salvage (to be clearly
distinguished from the present cultural rape and plunder for commercial
purposes and personal gain). One is indeed fortunate if, in this context of
turmoil, transformation and profiteering, you have comparable type objects
from different verifiable time periods in the evolution of the same society.
It is readily possible to reflect change due to the impact of the (Western)
cash economy, in the form of a veritable plethora of objects produced
expressly for commercial purposes, particularly the tourist trade. This
warrants a study in itself. However, the question remains: what is the
status of the objects contemporarily used by people under the conditions of
escalating change? An adequate answer demands field research, of which
monetary constraints do not permit the (academic) Anthropology Department at
this University has, in fact, been closed).
The various ethno-geographic components of our collection respectively date
from the 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, etc. Given the aforesaid problems,
we do, however, endeavour to procure items to meaningfully complement
individual components. This is done on a highly selective and verifiable
basis. And on this basis we have in mind both the need to salvage, and the
need to reflect variation and change at a deeper level than that solely
represented by tourist items.
6. Do you or does your institution typically consult
or collaborate with the communities that are related
to your collection? ___no ___yes (please list
communities and collaborative efforts).
ANSWER 6 & 7
Individuals with expert knowledge, whether they are members of the
ethno-geographic groups represented in the collection and displays or not,
are consulted for advice and information.
7. How does consultation or collaboration take place?
____ guest curators
_____speaking with members of the communities
____ creation of community advisory boards
_____other outreach into the communities,
please
indicate:__________________________________________
ANSWER 8, 9 & 10
Fundamentally, Anthropology understands/explains by means of
contextualisation. Our explanatory texts emphasise context. The same applies
to the walkabouts conducted by staff members for visitors. Approached thus,
our displays of, for instance, ceremonial and ritual objects are rarely
problematic. We emphatically do not regard ourselves as "teachers" of
religion. We are very sensitive to the fact that we are members of a highly
plural society, demographically, ethnically, racially, linguistically and
culturally. We aim to assist people to recognise the complexity of the
universal phenomenon of man, to recognise human unity and dignity in the
anthropological diversity, and to generate, through understanding, tolerance
and respect for institutions/systems/values/beliefs/norms/material
expressions different from their own. In short, we wish to foster
appreciation for the human and cultural integrity of the other. Surely, this
is the essence of the anthropological 'message'?
8. When displaying objects related to religious or
spiritual beliefs, does
your department give background information regarding
the religion or practice?
___yes ___no
If so, in what format(s)? ____ extensive labels,
___didactic wall text, ____ other printed
exhibit materials, ____ films/videos, ____
performances, ___ speakers or
docents from the community, other:___________
9. Can or should museums act as objective teachers
with regard to religion when displaying artifacts? If
so, how?
10. Do you have any helpful suggestions for the museum
profession for the display of religious objects?
11. Please list suggestions for any of the above
topics that you may have, or practices which have
proven useful in your experiences.
ANSWER 11
The foregoing is not an exhaustive treatment of the issues you raise.
Perforce paradigmatically presented, the comments are hopefully of some use
to you.
Thank you again for your time, Harmony Simmons.
__________________________________________________
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