Angel Hu
Yale University ’28 | B.A. English
Our knowledge of history is derived from material records – artifacts, manuscripts, artwork, and ephemera. Through these bodies of work, we develop bodies of memory that shape our understanding of the past, especially how power dynamics, sites of conflict, and cultural signifiers play out in our collective consciousness. Museums are especially responsible for informing public memory and shaping perceptions of cultures and historical events. By curating an exhibit, museums deliberately select which objects to make visible to show the narratives that emerge when certain artifacts are placed together. Due to the delicate nature of preserving and depicting nuanced histories, tensions arise regarding issues of representation, provenance, and agency. Who gets to determine which parts are shown and hidden? Whose voices get to be a part of the narrative?
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