Lecturer explores the complex relationship between museums and source communities
Dr Max Carocci talks about the move towards more integrative and ethical approaches to collecting cultural objects.
On the final day of the exhibition Warriors of the Plains at the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh, Northern Ireland, Dr Max Carocci gave a talk exploring the relationship between museums and source communities. In particular, he examined curatorial efforts to move away from biased representations of cultures towards a more integrative and ethical approach to the collection and display of cultural objects.
The exhibition, curated by Dr Carocci and touring several British venues, looked at the historic and contemporary culture of Plains Indian Warrior art, making full use of the extensive American collections from the British Museum. It displayed many unique and fragile objects for the first time, allowing visitors to understand the place of honour and ritual among the indigenous peoples of the North American Plains.
Max Carocci is Programme Director for World Arts and Artefacts at Birkbeck and project curator at the British Museum.
Find out more about the World Arts and Artefacts Cert HE.