The aim of this essay is to study how older art can be used to illustrate our contemporary society with a critical view and also to contribute to the discussion of for what reason we keep our public collections.
My essay is based on a case study of the 2008 summer exhibition ‘Queer: desire, power and identity’ at Nationalmuseum. The exhibition used art from different eras to show how the ideals, norms of gender, and how the symbols for power have changed throughout history. It also reveals how certain art or artists have been excluded from art history due to their sexual orientation.
This study is based on three questions:
- How can older art be used to illustrate a to our society contemporary theme?
- How can a public museum make an exhibition with a clear and active message?
- How can a clear and potentially sensitive message be shown without risking to be provocative towards either the visitors or the person(s) it is about.
My material is based on the exhibition, the work material from the museum, protocols, photographs, exhibition texts, and interviews with the creators of the exhibition. I have also added reviews of the exhibition to add more perspectives for my discussion.