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Helen Graham

@helengraham.bsky.social

47 followers 44 following 3 posts

Politics, heritage, participation in one potentially beautiful collision. My Future York and YoCo: York Central Co-Owned. Teaches museum and heritage studies, University of Leeds.

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Helen Graham @helengraham.bsky.social · 23d

Thanks so much Claire - will be so great to discuss with you as you and I have been turning over allied issues together, usually in a York or YoCo context, for a good number of years!

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Helen Graham @helengraham.bsky.social · 23d

I'd had quite a bit of trouble working out why facilitating participation in museums was tricky so I wrote a book about it. @uclpress.bsky.social @fahacs.bsky.social

The front cover of a book. The title reads Deconstituting Museums: Participation's Affective Work. The image is of old rope, enwtined for strength but now fraying.

The image is primarily text. The text reads:

Over the past 30 years, museums have turned to participation in the hope that direct involvement of non-museum staff would serve their claims to be accessible, inclusive, representative and diverse. And yet, adding participation to museums has often generated conflict, disappointment and anger.

Deconstituting Museums argues that the difficulties produced by adding participatory practice arise from political incompatibility. In the representational liberal logics that underpin museum decision-making, trustees and professionals make decisions ‘on behalf of’ future generations and the public. This is a political infrastructure the book names ‘museum constitution’. Conversely, participation arises from ideas and practices from direct and horizontal political traditions, drawing those who act as facilitators into new relationships and expanding political imaginations.

Through sustained engagement with theories of affect, materialism, and feminist and decolonial praxis, Helen Graham identifies techniques for deconstituting museums. She uses experimental writing as a method to turn away from the desire to right institutional wrongs and towards relational and directly negotiated ways of organising. In doing so she locates participation not as engagement but as a mode of governance that is enabled by, and enables, variant political ontologies. This is an alternative named ‘participatory worlding’. The affective work of facilitating participation has long tugged at and frayed museums’ constitutional liberal logics. Deconstituting Museums envisages how participation and its affects might be activated in reworking the politics of heritage.

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Reposted by Helen Graham

philbixby.bsky.social @philbixby.bsky.social · Sep 6

As part of York Environment Festival - yorkenvironmentfestival.org.uk - YoCo is hosting an online Screening & Discussion featuring the Life-Sized City film on Barcelona. Watch the film & discuss what we can learn about making our own city fit our lives. Booking:- www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-life-s...

The Life-Sized City - Barcelona - screening and discussion

Join us for a screening of The Life Size City documentary on Barcelona, and discuss what we can learn about making big places fit our lives.

www.eventbrite.co.uk

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Reposted by Helen Graham

Jennie Morgan @drmorgan.bsky.social · Aug 27

Live! Pilot study on emotions in the museum & heritage workforce. Curious to reflect on emotions in your role & work? To help test methods for a future project? See survey link below with additional info & invitation to participate @annawoodham.bsky.social qualtrics.kcl.ac.uk/jfe/form/SV_...

Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management

The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.

qualtrics.kcl.ac.uk

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Reposted by Helen Graham

School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies @fahacs.bsky.social · Feb 25

Join us this evening for a private view of this year’s #MA #FineArt Interim Show

I Never Agreed to Lend My Voice showcases work by 11 emerging artists, challenging notions of voice, identity, environment & politics

5-8pm in our Project Space

Book your place:

ahc.leeds.ac.uk/fine-art/eve...

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Helen Graham @helengraham.bsky.social · Feb 18

It has taken me a while but here I am!