ISS 25 (1995).pdf - The International Council of Museums
ISS 25 (1995).pdf - The International Council of Museums
ISS 25 (1995).pdf - The International Council of Museums
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irriage <strong>of</strong>, ifnot "superiority", then <strong>of</strong> "advanced evolution" .<br />
Age and history are not the same qualities, though age and history can be applied to the same<br />
objects and concepts. <strong>The</strong> overriding difference between the two qualities is that one notion<br />
is based on means <strong>of</strong> time determination and the other is based on an evolution determination<br />
which, in many cases is imparted to an object, rather than it being inherent in the object itself<br />
It is a curatorial concern to import historical meaning to objects <strong>of</strong> age and serve the<br />
community with historical interpretation.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Community<br />
Communities are defined as an aggregate <strong>of</strong> people <strong>of</strong> a joint interest. This interest could have<br />
arisen from an association with a simple locale such as a neighbourhood, it could have arisen<br />
from the avid zeal in a subject such as aviation, it could have arisen through the intellectual<br />
inquiry such as an archeological study <strong>of</strong> antiquities, it could have arisen by nationalist motives<br />
such as the state run and operated museums <strong>of</strong> countries which propound patriotism, it could<br />
have arisen through civic pride, individual collecting, or by the awakening <strong>of</strong> a "new truth"<br />
whose followers would make an historical statement and find that together they are a<br />
community.<br />
Contemporary Pressure<br />
Contemporary political and economic spheres have placed pressures on the world creating a<br />
modem oddly mixed social order. To discover and/or redefine a history for this extant new<br />
order has caused a reexamination <strong>of</strong> what is important in life. <strong>The</strong> world community is now<br />
having to achieve understandings where local claims to history are no longer adequate.<br />
Further, to add to the special modem mix, there has been an increase in special interest claims,<br />
international political movements, and global intellectual claims which all need their<br />
explanations in history. <strong>The</strong> modem dilemma is that none <strong>of</strong> the demands for historical<br />
validation match a single threaded path <strong>of</strong> history, but are a part <strong>of</strong> a complex and competing<br />
arena that is vying for attention. Not all the contributions put forward to make a claim on<br />
history are overlapping or congruous, in fact, some are quite discreet and others definitely<br />
opposing. This modem and intense demand for knowledge <strong>of</strong> competing existences has created<br />
a situation where museums cannot possibly satisfy the variety <strong>of</strong> different publics and<br />
communities.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Conflict<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is a conflict which has arisen through the demands <strong>of</strong> international, national, provincial,<br />
city, ethnic group, native group, different political affiliations, historical traditions placed upon<br />
the support that history can <strong>of</strong>fer the justification <strong>of</strong> a community's existence and still be fair<br />
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