Curating Discomfort - Trailer

Museums are political places. 

‘Curating Discomfort’ puts forward discomforting provocations and interventions to help us think critically about colonial systems, such as the British Empire. Systems that used ideologies to justify the enslavement and colonisation of peoples and lands around the world. Museums developed within this context, and they remain spaces that celebrate and memorialise colonial systems of the past in the present. Collections, displays, and labels are a political act that have legacies rooted in colonialism. 

From the Hunterian Museum and the University of Glasgow, a new series exploring the Hunterian’s collections with academics, community activists, social justice campaigners and educators, hosted by Zandra Yeaman. 

A transcript for this trailer is available on the episode webpage. 

Recorded, edited and produced by Eva López-López, Hollie Wade and Charis Sandison. 

Transcript

The Hunterian is committed to becoming a more ethical institution that critically reflects on the past, is relevant in the present, and contributes to a more equitable future for all. 

How can we become what we are committing to? 

As part of this work, ‘Curating Discomfort’ puts forward discomforting provocations and interventions to help us to think critically about colonial systems, such as the British Empire. Systems that used ideologies to justify the enslavement and colonisation of peoples and lands around the world. Museums developed within this context, and they remain spaces that celebrate and memorialise colonial systems of the past in the present. Collections, displays, and labels are a political act that have legacies rooted in colonialism.  

We want to address this. 

Join me - Zandra Yeaman, Curator of Discomfort - in this series of podcast delivered by academics, community activists, social justice campaigners and educators to explore The Hunterian’s collections. 

Look out for our podcast series links on our website and streaming on major podcast platforms.