Cultural Networks in Migrating Heritage: Intersecting Theories and Practices across Europe

181 Pages·2015·2.74 MB·English

by  Perla Innocenti

Cultural Networks
iN MigratiNg Heritage
Mela – European Museums in an Age of Migrations is a four-year long research Project (March
2011–February 2015) funded by the european Commission under the seventh Framework Programme
within the socio-economic sciences and Humanities sector (ssH-2010-5.2.2, grant agreement
n° 266757). Mela is an interdisciplinary programme aimed at analysing the role of museums in the
contemporary multi-cultural context, characterized by an augmented migration of people and ideas,
and identifying innovative practices and strategies in order to foster their evolution.
the research activities developed by the Mela Project are fostered by the cooperation of nine european
Partners, and articulated through distinct research Fields.
RF01: Museums and Identity in History and Contemporaneity
examines the historical and contemporary relationships between museums, places and identities in
europe and the effects of migrations on museum practices.
RF02: Cultural Memory, Migrating Modernity and Museum Practices
transforms the question of memory into an unfolding cultural and historical problematic, in order to
promote new critical and practical perspectives.
RF03: Network of Museums, Libraries and Public Cultural Institutions
investigates coordination strategies between museums, libraries and public cultural institutions in
relation to European cultural and scientific heritage, migration and integration.
RF04: Curatorial and Artistic Research
explores the work of artists and curators on and with issues of migration, as well as the role of museums
and galleries exhibiting this work and disseminating knowledge.
RF05: Exhibition Design, Technology of Representation and Experimental Actions
investigates and experiments innovative communication tools, iCt potentialities, user centred
approaches, and the role of architecture and design for the contemporary museum.
RF06: Envisioning 21st Century Museums
fosters theoretical, methodological and operative contributions to the interpretation of diversities and
commonalities within european cultural heritage, and proposes enhanced practices for the mission and
design of museums in the contemporary multicultural society.
Partners and principal investigators:
Politecnico di Milano, italy | luca Basso Peressut (Project Coordinator), gennaro Postiglione
Consiglio Nazionale delle ricerche, italy | Marco sacco
MaCBa – Museu d’art Contemporani de Barcelona, spain | Bartomeu Mari
Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, France | Fabienne galangau
the royal College of art, united kingdom | Victoria walsh
university of glasgow, united kingdom | Perla innocenti
Copenhagen institute of interaction Design, Denmark | Jamie allen
Newcastle university, united kingdom | Christopher whitehead, rhiannon Mason
university of Naples ‘l’orientale’, italy | iain Chambers
www.mela-project.eu
legal notice
The views expressed here are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the
views of the european Commission.
Cultural Networks
in Migrating Heritage
intersecting theories and Practices across europe
Perla iNNoCeNti
University of Glasgow, UK
© Perla innocenti 2015
all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
Perla innocenti has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents act, 1988,
to be identified as the author of this work.
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
a catalogue record for this book is available from the British library
The Library of Congress has cataloged the printed edition as follows:
innocenti, Perla.
Cultural networks in migrating heritage : intersecting theories and practices across europe
/ by Perla innocenti.
pages cm
includes bibliographical references and index.
isBN 978-1-4724-4813-2 (hardback) -- isBN 978-1-4724-4814-9 (ebook) -- isBN
978-1-4724-4815-6 (ePub) 1. europe--Cultural policy. 2. social networks--europe.
3. intercultural communication--europe. 4. immigrants--europe--social conditions. 5.
ethnicity--europe. 6. Multiculturalism--europe. 7. european cooperation. 8. europe--
Politics and government--1989- i. title.
D1055.i52 2015
305.9'06912094--dc23
2014033810
isBN 9781472448132 (hbk)
isBN 9781472448149 (ebk – ePDF)
isBN 9781472448156 (ebk – ePuB)
Printed in the united kingdom by Henry ling limited,
at the Dorset Press, Dorchester, Dt1 1HD
Contents
List of Figures vii
Note on the Author xi
Acknowledgements xiii
Introduction: Cultural and Heritage Networks in an Age of Migrations 1
1 Migrating Heritage 15
2 Cultural Networks Shaped 33
3 Cultural Networks Weakened 73
4 Cultural Networks Strengthened 101
5 Coda: Cultural Policy Implications and Recommendations 125
Appendix: Research Interviews and Meetings with Experts, Practitioners
and Policymakers 133
References 137
Index 159
This page has been left blank intentionally
List of Figures
I.1 Case studies in this research 9
I.2 Overview of research methodology 12
1.1 Non vogliamo lavorare per la guerra: a frame from the
documentary 16
2.1 Items from Europeana digital online collections: Epitoma Rerum
Hungaricum. Petrus Ransanus, 1490–92 35
2.2 Items from Europeana digital online collections: Abel Tasman’s
Travel Journal, 1642 36
2.3 Items from Europeana digital online collections: Contrabass
serpent, Joseph and Richard Wood, circa 1840 36
2.4 The Europeana Foundation governance and strategic tasks
resulting from consultation 39
2.5 Climbing into America. Ellis Island, Lewis W. Hine, 1905 41
2.6 An example of hubs and links in cultural cooperation: exchanges
in the European Neighbourhood Programme of the European
Cultural Foundation, 2011 43
2.7 Organigram of the European Cultural Foundation, 2011 45
2.8 Istanbul Residency: European Souvenirs project, a performance
within ECF programme Narratives for Europe. Cansu Turan, 2012 47
2.9 Doc Next Network: Bringing forward personal perspectives of
immigrants. Immigration Europe: Mohammed, 2011 48
2.10 Cité Nationale de l’Histoire de l’Immigration: view of the
permanent exhibition 50
2.11 Cité Nationale de l’Histoire de l’Immigration: temporary
exhibition J’ai Deux Amours (2011–2012). La Machine à rêve,
Kader Attia, 2008 51
2.12 Cité Nationale de l’Histoire de l’Immigration: one of the
showcases at the Gallery of Gifts in 2012 55
2.13a ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe by night 57
2.13b ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe foyer 57
2.14 ZKM_Gameplay – The Gameplatform at ZKM. Start new game!
exhibition view 58
2.15 ZKM | Media Museum: interactive digital work Bubbles
by Wolfgang Muench and Kiyoshi Furukawa, 2001 59
2.16 Family Day at ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, 2008 62
viii Cultural Networks in Migrating Heritage
2.17 Workshop at the ‘digital classroom’ at ZKM | Center for Art
and Media Karlsruhe, 2009 63
2.18 Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle: view of the gardens 65
2.19 Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle: Grand Gallery
of Evolution in 2012, before the current restructuring 66
2.20 Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle: ethnographic cast
of a man’s head from New Zealand, made with his agreement 67
2.21 Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle: Gallery of Paleontology
and Comparative Anatomy 68
2.22 Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle: Organisational structure 69
3.1 Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona. Facade view, 2014 80
3.2 Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona. Library Reading Room,
Study Center, 2012 81
3.3 Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona. Quinsy Gario,
performance project Swarte Piet is Racisme, 2014 85
3.4 Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona. Lawrence Abu Hamdan,
in-progress installation Contra-Diction: speech against itself, 2014 85
3.5 Museo Laboratorio della Mente ASL Roma E. Artistic installation
Inventori di Mondi e Fabbrica di Cambiamento, Studio Azzurro 88
3.6 Museo Laboratorio della Mente ASL Roma E. Artistic installation
Dimore del Corpo: il Tavolo, Studio Azzurro 88
3.7 Museo Laboratorio della Mente ASL Roma E. Artistic installation
Modi del sentire: Parlare, Studio Azzurro 89
4.1 A visualisation of the Living Book titles within the Human Library
initiative, 2008 102
4.2 ‘Living book’ at the Biblioteca Vivente, Verona, Italy, 2011 106
4.3 ‘Living book’ at the Biblioteca Vivente, Verona, Italy, 2011 107
4.4 ‘Human Book’ Lieutenant General Richard Évraire, speaking
about his 42-year military career at the Canadian War Museum’s
Human Library, 28 January 2012 107
4.5 ‘Human Book’ Master Warrant Officer Carl Kletke, speaking
about demining in Bosnia at the Canadian War Museum’s Human
Library, 28 January 2012 108
4.6 The Human Library at the Canadian War Museum,
28 January 2012 108
4.7 GRAMNET co-convener Rebecca Kay 110
4.8 SUDLAB Cloud 114
4.9 SUDLAB: Museums as routers 115
4.10 Lello Lopez with his artistic installation at the SUDLAB seminar
Mediterraneo, Migrazione, Musica, 2011 116
4.11 Interiors at Idea Store Canary Wharf, London 117
4.12 Strategy ‘no barriers’: help desk at Idea Store Bow, London 118
List of Figures ix
4.13 Employability Skills Programme labs at Idea Store, London 118
4.14 Homework clubs at Idea Store, London 119
4.15 Reframing collections online in transnational terms:
The project Inventing Europe. European Digital Science
and Technology Museum 122
4.16 Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL): Virtual Exhibition, 2013 124