(Response 2 of 5) by Anna
Museum of the City of New York
Contested Terrain: History, Museums, and the Public by James B. Gardner
Just like the City it represents, the Museum of the City of New York is not afraid to make bold statements or address controversial topics. The complexities of life and culture in New York City can feel overwhelming and even unintelligible, but the museum manages to present the fullness of the culture in an ordered, intentional way. This is exemplified in Activist New York, a multimedia exhibition that documents the history of activism in NYC. But does this exhibit celebrate some movements only to invalidate others?
Upon entering the room, the purpose is clearly stated: “This exhibit presents 14 moments of New York activism spanning 400 years and representing both progressive and conservative ideals.” Each movement is presented a banner stating the title, which hangs over artifacts and historical information for context. The categories: Black Lives Matter, Reviving the South Bronx, Nuclear Disarmament, Environmentalism, Conservative Action, Gay Liberation, Civil Rights, Activist Literature, Protesting Prohibition, Garment Workers, Nativists and Immigrant, Abolishing Slavery, and Social Purity. At the back of the exhibit, interactive screens pose the question “Who are the activists of today?” with short video biographies of individuals and their movements. The technological engagement continues on Twitter, where the hashtag #ActivistNY leads to photos of protest signs and promotion for the museum, interspersed with feedback from museum visitors. “Disappointed but unsurprised that @MuseumofCityNY‘s #ActivistNY exhibit doesn’t include the disability rights movement. Disability matters,” wrote @emily_ladau.
In Contested Terrain: History, Museums, and the Public, James. B Gardner cites “a perception that museums stand for authenticity and accuracy in a way that professors, teachers, and books do not.” He goes on to say that “the objects we exhibit and the institutional contexts in which we work confer authority and validity on our work,” (13) and that the public often trusts that authority to the point of blind faith, without critical thinking. In choosing the 14 categories of activism, is MCNY designating which movements are valid? One the one hand, it would be impossible to represent every single variation of thought and identity that is compiled in various social movements. Nowhere does MCNY state that the exhibit is a comprehensive representation. It is overall a very well-researched, engaging and inspiring exhibit. However, activists of movements that are not included could easily feel invisible, invalidated and unimportant by the lack of representation.
Questions:
Is it the role of the visitor to understand that when they visit a museum, the information they are taking in is not comprehensive? Should that be explicitly stated by the museum’s curators?
What activist movements come to mind when thinking of New York? Are they represented in the exhibit?
Trusting museums as very reliable sources is a cultural norm. Could that trust ever be misused? Has it already been?
