Legacies of slavery and empire are a critical current topic, and many museums and heritage organisations are actively engaging with this aspect of their history and collections, through research, interpretation and community engagement. This course will focus on the material legacy of Empire and colonialism through paintings, decorative arts and the built environment and how this can be communicated to diverse audiences. Looking closely at objects, materials and styles, we will explore how imported goods such as chintzes from the Indian subcontinent, and new goods such as tea wares from East Asia were adopted by ordinary people, as well looking at the development of elite taste. We will also consider how Europeans whose fortunes were made in the colonies used the decorative arts to proclaim their status and secure their reputation in their home countries.
A session dedicated to academic partnership will cover the different ways in which small heritage organisations can leverage academic research support and develop partnerships with the academic sector. Other presentations will showcase best practice in community engagement through the National Trust’s ‘Colonial Countryside’ project and the re-presentation and interpretation of the Clive collection of Indian artefacts at Powis Castle.
The course will include visits to the Ashmolean and Pitt Rivers museums, to view the latest curatorial practice in reinterpreting historic collections and Imperial legacies.
The final day will conclude with a workshop during which participants will be encouraged to explore how they might apply what they have learned within their own organisations.