Share your memories to create social history artwork
In November 2017 Arcadeum will install a unique bespoke museum cabinet in the foyer of the new North West Edinburgh Partnership Centre in Muirhouse. It will be populated with objects and artefacts that represent fragments of social history from the community and individuals who live and have lived in North West Edinburgh (writes Hans Clausen).
It will create a striking permanent feature in the entrance of the centre in the style of a contemporary ‘Cabinet of Curiosity’. The objects displayed in the cabinet need not be of great historical or monetary value but objects that have personal, communal, famous or infamous significance.
The style of each items professional presentation and the story linked to it will maximise its impact and can raise a everyday object to the heights of priceless artefact! The variety of objects will celebrate the diversity of social histories and personal experiences.
Arcadeum are interested to hear from anyone with ideas or suggestions for objects to be included, it could be anything that represents a particular time, place, person or story … this could be; the scissors used to cut the ribbon at the opening of a new building, the hat worn by the local lollipop lady, the mail bag used by the local postie, the old school bell, a shop sign or plaque, the darts ‘Joe Blogs’ won the North Edinburgh darts championships with, a local sporting person’s lucky mascot or trophy, a stethoscope that has heard the heartbeats of local residents for 20 years, something unusual found in the street, a T-shirt or badge form a local campaign, a tea pot used in bygone committee meetings…, anything at all?
The objects will be on permanent display with the details of the donor and the related story (if given permission) accessible in a publication and/or online. We are looking primarily for donations but also happy to negotiate a loan or purchase for some items.
To deliver this project Arcadeum are consulting with the National Museums of Scotland and the Lothian Health Archives at Edinburgh University but most importantly we need to hear local stories and trace the objects that help tell these stories. A unique People’s Museum of Memory and Myth certificate will be given to each person or organisation that donates an item.
Hans K Clausen © 2017
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