Curating History’s Silences

The making of a museum exhibition translates but also transforms its historical subject matter. This talk focuses on two interpretive clusters in the hugely popular Revolution: The Atlantic World Reborn exhibition at the New-York Historical Society in 2011-12. The first contrasts the political landscape of European capitals, particularly victorious London, in the wake of the Seven Years’ War, with that of their American colonies. In a sense, this aimed to redefine competing notions of the public sphere in the Atlantic world, and to recognize the informal, oral, and social roots of revolutionary discourse. The second delves into the social and cultural transformations experienced by Africans behind the scenes of the military and political battles customarily identified as the Haitian revolution; it also aimed to explore the experience of women during these tumultuous years, the history of which has almost entirely been framed as contention among men. In each case, the curators supplemented the display of original historical documents and artifacts with a diversity of interpretive media, including audio-visual programs, environmental design, graphics, “mocuments” and “artifictions” (annotated replicas), and opportunities for experiential learning. Curatorial work of this sort pushed the boundaries of historical scholarship and offered a wide variety of visitors a chance to frame their own connections to the exhibition’s historical narrative.