My PhD research investigated objects considered to be significant through their association with historically noteworthy persons and how these objects are displayed. It argues that the construction and communication of these objects’ association with their subject, by their museums, can encourage the perception of their relic-like connection with a particular past. The museum visually narrates and authenticates its objects, apparently preserving the traces of their subject’s life. In turn, this simulates the subject’s presence encouraging empathetic engagement with the subject and their objects. This enables the objects in the biographical museum to be viewed as both relic-like and as products of modernity.
Research Papers
“… [he] fit[s] like a snail to its shell.”: Darwin reflected in his museum home’ – given at the Museums and Galleries History Group (MGHG) 2014 Conference
‘Biographical objects & the changing rhetoric of display in Nineteenth Century & early Twentieth Century’ for Long Nineteenth Century network Seminar Series.
‘Evoking creative and mental labour in Biographical display’ at International Society of Cultural History 2012 Lunéville conference, ‘Histoire Culturelle du Travail’.
‘Constructing ‘Lieux de biographie’: The construction of associative narrative in the creation of notable houses as biographical museums’ at International Society of Cultural History 2011 Oslo conference, History – memory – myth: Re-presenting the past.
In December 2016, I was involved in ‘Remake A Museum: Great North Museum Design Challenge’ in Newcastle and my team’s proposal won the Judges choice. (gnmdesignchallenge.co.uk)
I spent the weekend in a museum in Newcastle – Great North Museum: Hancock. It was a sort of hackathon where groups looked innovate: coders, academics, artists, museum staff and AV techs. Although I know museums, specifically the biographical ones of my research, this was outside my comfort zone. Yet this turned out to be a perfect amalgam of my research, my arts practice and, oddly, my events management at the bookshop. It was so great to be in a room thinking creatively about museum collections and visitors with other creative people.
The result of my teams brainstorming may seem surprising for those that know my work. ‘Break the Museum’ involves interactive projections, provocative animations and torch carrying visitors in the museum at night – also engaging the visitor to communicate their experiences through social media, and engage the community through content generation. The Hancock is a really engaging museum already but this project aimed to engage more with the 17-25 age group. Totally outside my usual sphere of understanding, but all the differing backgrounds of the team worked together to create the design.
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