Our workshop set out to try out ideas
put forward by Nicholas Thomas, Director of the Museum of Archaeology and
Anthropology in Cambridge, in The return
of curiosity – what museums are good for in the 21st Century. His starting point is: ‘If the world of research embraces a
bewildering range of methods, there is nevertheless something peculiar (I mean
both distinctive and odd) about that of the museum, which begins less with
discourse or theory, with a problem inherited or framed, than simply with stuff
– with works, artefacts or specimens of whatever kind.’ He sees this as a strength and believes
museums have a role not simply as sources of inspiration but ‘as creative
technology’ akin to digital technology in their ability to make new connections
and thus new thoughts. Central to his idea is the scope that museum’s provide
for ‘happening upon things’.
The workshop took place within the
museum where a collection of some 50 somewhat random objects had been assembled
for participants to ‘happen upon’. They
were asked to choose one of them and share what it said to them with the group.
For example a Jif lemon brought back memories of happy childhood
holidays; Philippe Starck’s Juicy Salif juicer proclaimed both the importance
of design over function and a retro-vision of the future; a cycle helmet spoke of safe
travelling; and a toy embodied the learning it provides.
Then, sticking with the same object, participants
were asked to think up as many ways as they could of classifying it.
For
example this milk jug was classified under these headings:
- Evocations of rusticity / rural utopia.
- Objects of nostalgia.
- Design inspiration for a beer mug.
- Animal portrayals.
- Domesticity.
The final exercise was undertaken working
with a partner. The assignment was to develop a narrative around the two randomly
brought together objects they had each chosen at the outset and to add a few
more objects from those on the table.
These are the results.
John Cage musical objects collection
John Cage was a composer and a pioneer
of indeterminacy in music. These objects are all capable of making music.
Gabbi Hass and Paul Wenham-Clarke
Nurturing children
A narrative of nurture from birth to
knowledge: the cow representing milk
symbolic of motherly love, the bra the nurturing breast, the shoes representing
childhood and the toy, a means of learning though experience.
Ian House and Thomas Walsh
Conversation pieces
All pieces that are not what they look
like: a washing-up brush in the form of
a punk; a toilet-brush in the form of a cherry; a butter dish in the form of a
boat; and ash tray disguised as a ball; and a yarn holder resembling a honey
pot.
Diane Beasley and David Lund
Life
The products all have a link to life, the helmet represents the protection of life, the apple nourishes life, the camera records life, and the rose represents the end of life.
Kirsten Hardie and Valerie Lodge
Once participants had selected their
objects the session facilitators put together their own group of objects from
those remaining.
Gendered marketing
This group of objects explores the use
of pink in marketing to products to young girls.
Susan Lambert and Pam Langdown
Susan Lambert (Head of MoDiP)
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