Historically, museums are a space that reinforce hetero- and cis-normative narratives. In other words, the idea that heterosexuality is the preferred or normal sexual orientation and the assumption that everyone is, or ought to be, cisgender. This project was an opportunity to challenge these narratives within the Roman Baths.
We worked with seven LGBTQ+ members of staff to reinterpret
objects within the collection. Through a series of four sessions, the group
considered LGBTQ+ history and their relationship with their identity, chose an
object from the collection they connected with, and wrote a label about their
chosen object.
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The group brainstorming ideas in the first session. |
There are a few different ways to “queer” an object, and
every object has the potential to be read as queer.
Firstly, this can be done through the initial, surface level
reading of an object’s subject matter. Secondly, one can focus on the personal
histories of figures associated with the object. This can be difficult with
archaeological collections when there are limited direct links to historical
figures, especially those who we can interpret as LGBTQ+.
Finally, we queer an object through audience interpretation by creating multiple meanings for an object. Whilst an object may not have initially been intended as a queer object, interpretations by later audiences can create multiple meanings for the object, transforming it into a queer object. In this situation, visitors do not only ask what the object is and whether the person associated could be considered queer (methods one and two), but rather they ask, “what does the object mean to me?”
Chosen objects
The objects chosen by the group are ordinary objects that
don’t initially appear to be related to the LGBTQ+ community. However, once
they are read alongside someone’s lived experience, they are given a new meaning and become
queer objects. Through writing the labels, participants tell their own stories
in their own voice, rather than the traditional curatorial museum voice.
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| A photograph of a watchman's sentry box and its label. |
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| A tail fin of a incendiary bomb and its label. |
Legacy of the project
The participants found seeing “LGBTQ+ identities represented
in a museum space as large as the Roman Baths” to be very important. They strongly
agreed that their identity had been represented and legitimised by being in an
institutional space. Visitors also left feedback, sharing they “feel quite
emotional” and described the interpretation as “so personal yet so communal and
relatable”.
Queer people and queerness have always existed and will
continue to do so. This project has allowed us to explore new ways to queer the
collection. Interpreting objects in this way creates space for LGBTQ+
representation in museums, where these identities have historically been
neglected.
Seeing Queerly: Co-curating Collections display at The Roman Baths.
Eleanor Fletcher
Collections Assistant
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