Ecological Exhibitions at the Musée Océanographique de Monaco

Wade, Sarah (2020) Ecological Exhibitions at the Musée Océanographique de Monaco. Journal of Curatorial Studies, 9 (2). pp. 162-181. ISSN 2045-5836

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Abstract

In 2010, the Musée Océanographique de Monaco initiated a contemporary art programme to mark its centenary and reaffirm its commitment to its founding premise of displaying objects of both art and science. Ever since, the museum has regularly staged exhibitions promoting marine wildlife protection. I argue that as well as examining ecological concerns, these exhibitions have functioned in ecological ways, adopting curatorial approaches that traverse art and science to highlight interconnections between humans and ocean life. By revisiting historical modes of display, such as the Wunderkammer, and deploying anthropomorphism, the museum presents ecologies of display that aim to evoke solidarity with marine wildlife. Yet, ambiguity arises when considering these exhibitions in the context of this institution and its longer history, which I suggest requires an ongoing curatorial commitment to finding creative and thoughtful ways of responding to ecological issues in museums.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: sdg 14 - life below water ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/life_below_water
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Arts and Humanities > School of Art, Media and American Studies (former - to 2024)
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Arts and Humanities > Research Groups > Art History and World Art Studies
Related URLs:
Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 20 Jan 2021 00:56
Last Modified: 13 Dec 2024 01:31
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/78219
DOI: 10.1386/jcs_00019_1

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