Inherited Obsessions

Authors

Laura de Harde (ed)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.35293/esi.21

Keywords:

Art, history, exhibition, preservation

Synopsis

Enjoy the thought-provoking project, "Inherited Obsessions: Conversations with an Exhibition," a prize-winning publication that explores the complexities of culture and heritage in Post-Apartheid South Africa. Edited by Dr Laura de Harde, this book won the prestigious 2023 HSS Awards for Best Exhibition Catalogue.

A key outcome of her Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Dr de Harde initiated collaborations with institutions like the University of Pretoria and the Ditsong National Museum of Cultural History. She engaged in meaningful conversations with Ditsong's curator of anthropology and co-curator of the exhibition, Motsane Gertrude Seabela. These discussions formed the foundation of the Inherited Obsessions exhibition, unveiled on Heritage Day, September 24, 2022, at Ditsong.

The exhibition became a platform to explore the weight of inherited legacies. The contributing authors unpack these conversations in the publication, offering readers a deeper understanding of our relationship to historical objects and their impact on the present.

Through nine engaging chapters and a captivating visual essay showcasing the artworks included in the exhibition, the publication invites readers to contemplate the enduring significance of cultural heritage. By highlighting our shared history, the book encourages us to reflect on the complexities of our past and consider how it may shape our present and future.

Chapters

  • Preliminary Pages
    PDF
  • Chapter 1
    Threads between Photographs as Image Objects in Collections and Photographic Images of Collecting
    Lize Kriel
    PDF
  • Chapter 2
    Dis/Tending the Museum: Archival Intervention and Disruption at The Ditsong National Museum of Cultural History
    Matthew McClure
    PDF
  • Chapter 3
    Bulldozing and Violence Disguised in Preservation: Curating and Preserving the Confiscated Objects at the Ditsong National Museum of Cultural History
    Motsane Seabela
    PDF
  • Chapter 4
    To Be Untitled: Rituals and Being
    Teboho Lebakeng
    PDF
  • Chapter 5
    The Creature Life of Entropy: Producing Meaning in the Service of Art or Science
    Jessica Webster
    PDF
  • Chapter 6
    After the Fire: Thoughts on Documents and Archives
    Jill Weintroub
    PDF
  • Chapter 7
    Stored in a Red Briefcase: Unpacking the Affectivity and Fluctuating Value of Memory Objects
    Olivia Loots
    PDF
  • Chapter 8
    Fuze's Gourd: Umuntu kafi aphele
    Justine Wintjes
    PDF
  • Chapter 9
    Objects on Life-Support: Items on Pallets and Bundles in Cupboards
    Laura de Harde
    PDF
  • Chapter 10
    Inherited Obsessions: A Visual Essay
    Laura de Harde
    PDF

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Published

24 September 2022

Categories

Copyright (c) 2022 Authors, photographers and institutions

Details about the available publication format: Full PDF

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ISBN-13 (15)

978-0-6397-2664-9(e-book)