Museology, 2012-2013

This work aims to investigate the philosophies of museology (the study of museums) with color photographs that detail the interiors of living history museums and historic homes.  I have worked in historical museums and am interested in how these types of institutions interpret and define history through the selection of artifacts they display and the context of their presentation. How a curator chooses to place a plate on a table, a quilt on a bed, or a garment on a hanger directs the audience’s understanding of the history presented, which elicits the question: can a curator manipulate history through their curatorial choices? How does this perceived manipulation of material objects affect our understanding of our cultural history?