What are we doing?
We are designing a multi-media museum exhibit on resistance and nationalism in Kenya that will travel around the country before the next election in 2012. If words like "multi-media" and museum technology mean little to you, you aren't alone (ie im right there with you). But check out this website for a little assistance in imagining what the technology could look like: http://www.dddxyz.com/dddxyz_portfolio_kiosk.htm
Why would we do that?
Kenya's last election in 2007 was followed by a period of violence that left more than a thousand people dead and more than half a million people displaced. When Kofi Annan arrived in Kenya to push forward peace processes, much of the focus was on resolving historical grievances-- over land and over politics. Our project addresses this historical aspect of reconciliation. While Kenyan history has been fraught and divisive in the past-- used by politicians to generate hatred along ethnic lines-- there is an important and inclusive story to tell about Kenyan nationalism during the colonial period. Not only has there been little public history in Kenya-- Kenyan students dont even get this stuff in school-- but there is a need and a desire for it. We aren't planning on telling a narrative that isnt true, no, we're aiming for complexity and truth-- and to highlight an inter-ethnic past. We're hoping to make a difference in the public dialogue about history before Kenya has its next election in 2012. That's why this proejct will travel around the country, and why timing is key.
How will it do that?
By using cutting edge technology and interrogative design (the newest and most powerful thinking on museums) we think we can attract attention around Kenya and start a dialogue. We want the exhibit to be powerful and to be interactive. It won't look like your usual glass case history exhibit. We're thinking along the lines of the Apartheid Museum in South Africa. But it will be mobile.
What does that mean I'll be doing on a day to day basis?
I am stepping in as the Project Director which means there are lots of different things to be pursuing and keeping track of. Every day will be different. Some days I'll be doing video interviews with people who fought for independence, other days I'll be visiting regional museums and scoping out the physical space, electrical sources and local contacts. Other days I might be at the archives, scanning photos. The job will change over time because this project has a few different parallel tracks-- some that have to happen more at the beginning and others that come in later on. For instance, this summer, we've begun with Track I: The Narrative and Track II: Collecting sources. Track I is our storyline. We needed to have the most comprehensive and yet specific outline of what our exhibit will tell. In order to do this, we worked with a group of Kenyan historians who offered their advice and input on what we put together. The product is terrific. Stage II has involved collecting photos and video footage from the Kenya National Archives, National Museums of Kenya and individuals. We've interviewed incredible folks like Njoroge Mungai, who was Kenya's first minister of foregn affairs (Stanford profiled him in their alumnae magazine: http://stanmed.stanford.edu/2006spring/mungai.html). Stage III is the design of the exhibit and technology; Stage IV is the building of the technology; Stage V is the implementation. I'll be working primarily on Stage II, but I'll be coordination the ongoing work on all the stages.
If you still aren't sure what's happening, see an Article about us in the Harvard Gazette-- the PDF version has a slightly more flattering picture than this link (http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2010/09/documenting-a-colonial-past/):
1 comment:
megan shutzer is my hero.
Post a Comment