Meaningful Objects: Stories and Videos from the Curating Domestic Profusion Workshop

Citation

Morgan J (2016) Meaningful Objects: Stories and Videos from the Curating Domestic Profusion Workshop. Heritage Futures [Website blog and linked videos] 26.04.2016. https://www.heritage-futures.org/curating-domestic-profusion-workshop/

Abstract
First paragraph: In March 2016, the Profusion theme held its first workshop hosted by the New School House Gallery in York. This event brought together an invited group of museum professionals, theme partners, and academics who research and write about the accumulation of stuff, as well as its disposal through recycling, reuse, and second-hand markets. Our aim was to encourage practical and analytical dialogue across the contexts we research in: homes and museums. To facilitate this dialogue, we invited professional declutterer and visual anthropologist – Dr Zemirah Moffat or ‘Zem’ (Insightful Moves) – to lead a series of activities focused on dealing with domestic clutter. By breaking away from more traditional conference formats – and set against the inspiring backdrop of paintings by Bartosz Beda in an exhibition called Feeling Good About Things – we created space to critically think about how domestic strategies for managing profusion might usefully translate to the museum. Crucially, while decluttering addresses how to let go of things, it also entails close scrutiny of what to keep and why. Or, as Zem urged us to consider, ‘keep just enough of your favourite things that link you with uplifting and grounding memories’.