How to exhibit what has become “MESS O’ POTAMIA” in early 21st century America? What are the substantive historical excitements of Mesopotamian antiquities that museum visitors will find accessible but also intellectually compelling? What (if any) are our responsibilities to engage with war, looting, and art market cartels in displays for a university teaching museum? What are the most yeasty theoretical and political challenges relating more broadly to U.S. museums and public discourse in this particular socially-contested terrain? What are the practical, aesthetic, and didactic considerations in mounting a new permanent display in a space currently being planned -- but not yet built -- featuring esoteric, often very small-scale artifacts? HA 306/Honors 251 introduces the ancient civilizations of Iraq and neighboring western Iran through participation in the real-time collaborative design of an installation of Mesopotamian art and archaeology for the New Wing of the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology. Included in Year One of the seminar will be grant-writing projects as well as development of a variety of early-stage blueprints for installation and public programming. Opportunities exist for subsequent internship involvement. Initial illustrated lectures plus in-class discussions of readings will lay the groundwork of a common core knowledge especially viewed in relation to strengths of the Kelsey’s distinguished collections, most of which are currently in storage. From there, our method will become fully seminar-like—with extensive critical discussion of issues, readings, and practical installation and didactic ideas produced through group efforts.
