Abstract
This paper examines the Calico Museum in Ahmedabad, India, and compares it to other similar museums where crafts, artifacts, and “objects of meaning” are exhibited. The study anchors on Jean Baudrillard’s writings - “systems of objects.” It attempts to dissect the systems within the whole, the design of the spaces, the objects within, the meaning making, the layers of identity, and the presence of the cultural connotation that exists in both tangible and ethereal forms. The plurality in ‘objects’ is subjected to both the physical built space and the artifacts within the museum. The ubiquitous presence of what we argue as “double colonialism” is invisibly evident. It further discusses the granularity of inclusivity and how to embrace visitors and make them a part of a holistic experience. The experiences triggered through a strong bourgeois authoritarian order and control have diminished the role of the visitor. The research focuses on these negotiations, and evaluates the colonial model of stakeholder’s engagement with the physical space. The authority in the museum, and ownership in this case is studied to understand the ways it divides, demarcates the boundaries between the people, the custodians, and real craftsmen of the objects, questioning authenticity. Using mixed methods, the research uses the experiential narratives of the visitors, and theorizes to develop a robust analytical framework.
Presenters
Maliha Sultan ChaudhryPhD Scholar, Faculty of Architecture, CEPT University, Delhi, India Shoonya Ramesh
PhD Scholar, Faculty of Architecture , CEPT UNIVERSITY, Tamil Nadu, India
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Objects, Authority, Authenticity
