A different look at… the Museum of Ethnography

27 Apr 2022, 18:00–20:00

“A different look at …” is a conversation about what we see and what we experience when we encounter the objects in a museum’s collection. What perspectives on Anglo-Sudanese-Swedish history give us, for example, the spearhead from the battle of Dongola? And what do Al-Mahdi, Kekewich, Gustav V and Victoria of Baden, Dr Rosengren and Major Cunningham have in common? Michael Barrett and Issraa El-Kogali Häggström invite us to a discussion about awakening, Sufism, war, family stories, museum pedagogy and opacity – and about the future of objects.

A different look at … the Museum of Ethnography: Unstable Artefacts, unpredictable pasts, and unknown futures

Michael Barrett and Issraa El-Kogali Häggström invite us to a discussion about awakening, Sufism, war, family stories, museum pedagogy and opacity – and about the future of objects.

Free admission.
Museum of Ethnography, Djurgårdsbrunnsvägen 34, Stockholm.

The conversation will be in English. The conversation on 27 April is a collaboration between the Museum of Ethnography, Tensta konsthall and Accelerator at Stockholm University.

Jubba, acquired in 1891 – ”gibbeh” – uniform for Mahdin’s life guard, Museum of Ethnography. Michael Barrett and Issraa El-Kogali Häggström.

Participants

Issraa El-Kogali Häggström is a writer, filmmaker and mother of two. Today she works with producing, performing and writing. Her directorial debut, the hip hop documentary “In Search of Hip Hop“, has been shown in 14 countries. The short film can be seen on BBC Arabic and Vimeo. Swedish by way of Khartoum, London, Cairo and Washington DC, Issraa El-Kogali Häggström is a direct descendant of the Mahdi of Sudan.

Michael Barrett is an anthropologist, researcher and curator for the African Department at the National Museum of World Culture in Sweden. His research deal with the history of the collection as well as the representation of Africa and people with African background in museums. Among his latest projects are the contemporary art exhibitions “Remixing the Future” and “Sonaxis” (Etnografiska 2021) and “Ongoing Africa” (2017–2021) – critical research development, exhibitions, and public programming in relation to the Africa collection at the National Museum of World Culture in Sweden.

A different look at…

In a cooperation between Tensta konsthall and Accelerator at Stockholm University, we gather to look at places and objects with connections to colonialism and racism. The purpose of the series is to have open conversations about the places’ history, present and possible future, and to discuss how a relevant and inclusive cultural heritage can be formulated.

Can we look at what has been with other eyes? Each other’s eyes? Can other stories open up for a re-evaluation of cultural heritage?

Upcoming program in the series A different look at…

11 May: A different look at… Frescati
We follow the traces of scientists and colonizers, but also centuries of Sami presence, in the vicinity of Stockholm University. Participants include artist Hanni Kamaly, curating student Lina Aastrup and archeologist Jonas Monié Nordin, Stockholm University. More information will be available shortly at www.acceleratorsu.art.

20–21 May: A different look at… Messaure and Njuoravuolle with Katarina Pirak Sikku
The main destination for this trip is Messaure outside of Jokkmokk, where a dam has put a whole village under water. During one day, together with artist Katarina Pirak Sikku and specially invited guests, we will talk about erased places, lost heritage, discuss and imagine a possible future around these sites. More information will be available shortly. Please see www.tenstakonsthall.se or Facebook.