Research master thesis | Arts and Culture (research) (MA)
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The societal role of museums has changed and is still constantly changing, the Museo de América in Madrid, Spain, is no exception. This research aims to capture the evolving role of museums by...Show moreThe societal role of museums has changed and is still constantly changing, the Museo de América in Madrid, Spain, is no exception. This research aims to capture the evolving role of museums by taking on the Museo de América as a case study. The Museo de América was chosen due to the limited international scholarly literature on the relationship museums in Spain, a once powerful and important colonial power, have with contemporary museological discourse. The research question is therefore, to what extent is the Museo de América able to create ‘contact zones’ and capture the changing narrative about indigenous communities in the Americas. This thesis uses Anthony Shelton’s methodology underlying critical museology as a set of tools as well as James Clifford’s concept of ‘museums as contact zones’. This research provides a better understanding of how an ethnographic museum in Spain addresses the colonial and authoritative practices in which museums were built on. The analysis of the Museo shows that some of the Museo’s underlying curatorial practices are consistent with Shelton’s methodological interdictions. However it also identifies a few limitations to the Museo’s capacity to navigate the challenges of bridging historical and cultural gaps across centuries. The most significant being the lack of an indigenous voice regarding the conquest itself. By including indigenous voices and presenting them as active participants, museums can play a critical role in providing visitors with the tools to better understand the evolution of modern society’s values.Show less
This thesis explores the power structures in the formation of the canon of Surrealism. The question why female artists are still excluded from the master narrative of Art History is researched...Show moreThis thesis explores the power structures in the formation of the canon of Surrealism. The question why female artists are still excluded from the master narrative of Art History is researched through the actors who were involved in the formation of the canon of Surrealism and in the writing of Art History. The Surrealist art scene in 1930s and 1940s New York is the main topic of this research, together with the question of rereading, differencing or rejecting the canon and the move towards an inclusive Art History anno 2018.Show less
This thesis explores the question of how ethical standards in private art transactions could be improved by examining recent improvements museums have made to their ethical standards.
This master thesis is about the practices of collecting during the Northern Song Dynasty in China. It researches how external factors, like the social, political, and religious ones, influenced and...Show moreThis master thesis is about the practices of collecting during the Northern Song Dynasty in China. It researches how external factors, like the social, political, and religious ones, influenced and determined what was collected, by whom, and for what reason.Show less
