Museums should honor the everyday, not just the extraordinary | Ariana Curtis

Prevodilac: Kristina Radosavljević Lektor: Ivana Krivokuća

Representation matters.

Predstavljanje je važno.

Authentic representations of women matter.

Autentično predstavljanje žena je važno.

I think that too often, our public representations of women

Mislim da je naše predstavljanje žena u javnosti suviše često

are enveloped in the language of the extraordinary.

uvijeno u nešto neobično.

The first American woman to become a self-made millionaire:

Prva američka žena koja je samostalno postala milioner,

Madam C. J. Walker ...

Gospođa Si-Džej Voker...

The dresses of the first ladies of the United States ...

Haljine prvih dama Amerike...

Shirley Chisholm, the first woman to seek

Širli Čizom, prva žena koja se nominovala

the US Democratic party's presidential nomination --

kao predsednički kandidat američke Demokratske partije.

(Applause)

(Aplauz)

As a museum curator,

Kao kustos u muzeju,

I understand why these stories are so seductive.

razumem zašto su ove priče toliko zavodljive.

Exceptional women are inspiring and aspirational.

Izuzetne žene inspirišu i nadahnjuju.

But those stories are limiting.

Ali ove priče ograničavaju.

By definition, being extraordinary is nonrepresentative.

Po definiciji, biti izuzetan je nereprezentativno.

It's atypical.

To je neuobičajeno.

Those stories do not create a broad base for incorporating women's history,

Ove priče ne stvaraju široku osnovu za prisvajanje istorije žena

and they don't reflect our daily realities.

i ne odražavaju realnu svakodnevicu.

If we can collectively apply that radical notion

Ako možemo kolektivno da primenimo radikalni pojam

that women are people,

da su žene ljudi,

it becomes easier to show women as people are:

postaje lakše prikazati žene kao ljude:

familiar, diverse, present.

poznate, različite, prisutne.

In everyone's everyday throughout history,

U svačijoj svakodnevici, kroz istoriju,

women exist positively --

žene definitivno postoje -

not as a matter of interpretation, but as a matter of fact.

ne kao stvar interpretacije, nego kao činjenica.

And beyond a more accurate representation of human life,

Pored tačnijeg predstavljanja ljudskog života,

including women considers the quotidian experiences

uključivanje žena podrazumeva svakodnevni život

of the almost 3.8 billion people identified as female on this planet.

skoro 3,8 milijardi ljudi na ovoj planeti koji za sebe smatraju da su ženskog pola.

In this now notorious museum scene from the "Black Panther" movie,

U ovoj sada ozloglašenoj muzejskoj sceni iz filma „Crni panter”,

a white curator erroneously explains an artifact

belac kao kustos pogrešno objašnjava predmet

to Michael B. Jordan's character seen here,

liku Majkla B. Džordana, koga vidimo ovde,

an artifact from his own culture.

predmet iz njegove sopstvene kulture.

This fictional scene caused real debates in our museum communities

Ova izmišljena scena je izazvala živu raspravu u našim muzejskim krugovima,

about who is shaping the narratives and the bias that those narratives hold.

o tome ko oblikuje priče i pristrasnost koju te priče sadrže.

Museums are actually rated

Muzeji se u stvari kotiraju

one of the most trustworthy sources of information in the United States,

kao jedan od najverodostojnijih izvora informacija u Sjedinjenim Državama,

and with hundreds of millions of visitors from all over the world,

i sa hiljadama miliona posetilaca iz celog sveta,

we should tell accurate histories,

trebalo bi da govorimo tačnu istoriju.

but we don't.

Ali mi to ne radimo.

There is a movement from within museums themselves

Postoji pokret unutar muzeja

to help combat this bias.

koji teži da se izbori sa ovim neistinama.

The simple acknowledgment that museums are not neutral.

Jednostavno priznanje da muzeji nisu neutralni.

Museums are didactic.

Muzeji su poučni.

Through the display of art and artifacts,

Kroz prikaz umetnosti i predmeta,

we can incite creativity and foster inclusion,

možemo podsticati kreativnost i inkluziju,

but we are guilty of historical misrepresentation.

ali smo krivi za pogrešno predstavljanje istorije.

Our male-centered histories have left our herstories hidden.

Naša istorija fokusirana na muškarce je ostavila ženske priče skrivene.

And there are hard truths about being a woman,

A postoje teške istine o tome kako je to biti žena,

especially a woman of color in this industry,

pogotovo ako niste belkinja, u ovoj industriji

that prevents us from centering inclusive examples of women's lives.

koja nas sprečava da se fokusiramo na inkluzivne primere ženskih života.

Museum leadership:

Rukovodstvo u muzejima:

predominantly white and male,

pretežno belci i muškarci,

despite women comprising some 60 percent of museum staffs.

uprkos tome što žene čine nekih 60 procenata muzejskog osoblja.

Pipelines to leadership for women are bleak --

Male su šanse da ćete se popeti na lestvici uspeha ako ste žena,

bleakest for women of color.

a još manje ako ste žena koja nije bele rase.

And the presence of women does not in and of itself guarantee

Prisutnost žena samo po sebi ne garantuje

an increase in women's public representation.

povećano predstavljanje žena u javnosti.

Not all women are gender equity allies.

Nisu sve žene saveznici u borbi za jednakost polova.

In the words of feminist theorist bell hooks,

Prema rečima teoretičara feminizma, Bele Huks:

"Patriarchy has no gender."

„Patrijarhat nema pol.”

Women can support the system of patriarchy

Žene mogu podržati sistem patrijarhata

just as men can support the fight for gender equity.

isto kao što muškarci mogu podržati borbu za ravnopravnost polova.

And we often downplay the importance of intersectionality.

Mi često omalovažavamo važnost intersekcionalnosti.

Marian Anderson was one of the most celebrated voices of the 20th century,

Marijan Anderson je bila jedan od najpoznatijih vokala 20. veka,

and the Smithsonian collected her 1939 outfit.

i Smitsonijan je izložio njenu odeću iz 1939. godine.

After the white Daughters of the American Revolution denied her access

Nakon što ju je belačka organizacija „Ćerke američke revolucije” odbila

to sing in Constitution Hall, because she was black,

da peva u Konstitucionoj dvorani zato što je bila crnkinja,

she famously sang instead on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial,

umesto toga je usledio njen čuveni nastup na stepenicama Linkolnovog memorijala

to a crowd of over 75,000 people.

gde je pevala pred preko 75 000 ljudi.

And in libraries all over, including museums,

Svuda u bibliotekama, uključujući muzeje,

you can still find the groundbreaking 1982 anthology, entitled

još uvek možete naći

revolucionarnu antologiju iz 1982. godine pod naslovom

"All the Women Are White,

„Sve žene su bele,

All the Blacks Are Men,

svi crnci su muškarci,

But Some of Us Are Brave."

ali neki od nas smo hrabri.”

Demands for the increase of women's representation

Zahtevi za povećanim prikazivanjem žena

does not automatically include Afro-Latinas like me ...

ne uključuje automatski Afrolatinoamerikanke, kao što sam ja,

or immigrant women, or Asian women, or Native women,

niti žene imigrante, Azijatkinje, žene lokalnih plemena,

or trans women, or undocumented women,

transrodne žene, nelegalno doseljene žene,

or women over 65, or girls --

žene iznad 65 godina ili devojčice -

the list can go on and on and on.

lista može da ide unedogled.

So what do we do?

Šta da radimo?

Targeted initiatives have helped incorporate perspectives

Ciljane inicijative su pomogle da se uključe gledišta

that should have always been included.

koja je oduvek trebalo da budu uključena.

I arrived at the Smithsonian through a Latino curatorial initiative

Ja sam došla u Smitsonijan kao deo Inicijative latinoameričkih kustosa,

čije je zapošljavanje kustosa latinoameričkog porekla,

whose hiring of Latinx curators,

mostly women, by the way,

uzgred, uglavnom žena,

has raised the profile for Latinx narratives across our institution.

povećalo broj priča iz istorije latinoameričkih naroda

u našoj instituciji.

And it served as a model

To je poslužilo kao model

for our much larger Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative,

za mnogo veću Smitsonijanovu Inicijativu istorije američkih žena,

which seeks to amplify diverse representations of women

koja teži da poveća različito predstavljanje žena

in every possible way,

na svaki mogući način,

so that women show up,

tako da se žene prikažu,

not only in the imagery of our contemporary realities,

ne samo kao slika naše savremene stvarnosti,

but in our historical representations,

već kao deo istorije,

because we've always been here.

zato što smo oduvek bile tu.

Right now though, in 2018, I can still walk into professional spaces

Čak i sada u 2018. godini, i dalje se desi da se nađem u profesionalnom kontekstu

and be the only --

i da budem jedina -

the only person under 40, the only black person,

jedina osoba ispod 40 godina, jedina osoba crne rase,

the only black woman, the only Latina,

jedina crnkinja, jedina Latinoamerikanka,

sometimes, the only woman.

a ponekad jedina žena.

My mother is African-American and my father is Afro-Panamanian.

Moja majka je Afroamerikanka, a moj otac je Afropanamac.

I am so proudly and inextricably both.

Ja sam i jedno i drugo, ponosno i neraskidivo.

As an Afro-Latina, I'm one of millions.

Kao Afrolatinoamerikanka, ja sam jedna od više miliona.

As an Afro-Latina curator, I'm one of very few.

Kao afrolatinoamerički kustos, ja sam jedna od samo nekoliko.

And bringing my whole self into the professional realm

Unošenje celog sebe u poslovnu sferu

can feel like an act of bravery,

može se činiti kao hrabar čiin,

and I'll admit to you that I was not always up for that challenge,

i priznaću vam, nisam uvek bila dorasla tom izazovu,

whether from fear of rejection or self-preservation.

bilo zbog straha od odbijanja ili zbog samoočuvanja.

In meetings, I would only speak up

Na sastancima bih govorila

when I had a fully developed comment to share.

samo kada bih imala potpuno razrađen komentar.

No audible brainstorming or riffing off of colleagues.

Bez ulaženja u rasprave ili razrađivanja ideja sa kolegama.

For a long time,

Dugo vremena

I denied myself the joy of wearing my beloved hoop earrings

sam uskraćivala sebi zadovoljstvo nošenja mojih omiljenih alki

or nameplate necklace to work,

ili ogrlice sa pločicom na posao,

thinking that they were too loud or unscholarly or unprofessional.

misleći da su bile suviše upadljive, neprimerene ili neprofesionalne.

(Laughter)

(Smeh)

I wondered how people would react to my natural hair,

Pitala sam se kako bi ljudi reagovali na moju prirodnu kosu,

or if they viewed me as more acceptable or less authentic when I straightened it.

i da li me vide kao prihvatljiviju ili kao manje autentičnu kada je izravnam.

And anyone who has felt outside of mainstream representations

Svako ko se osetio van zastupljenosti u dominantnim strujama

understands that there are basic elements just of our everyday being

razume da postoje neki osnovni elementi našeg svakodnevnog bitisanja

that can make other people uncomfortable.

koji mogu učiniti da se drugi ljudi osećaju neprijatno.

But because I am passionate

Ali zbog toga što se ja toliko zalažem

about the everyday representation of women as we are,

za svakodnevno predstavljanje žena onakvim kakve jesmo,

I stopped presenting an inauthentic representation of myself or my work.

prestala sam da predstavljam neautentičnu sebe ili svoj posao.

And I have been tested.

Prolazila sam kroz iskušenja.

This is me pointing at my hoop earring in my office --

Ovo sam ja, pokazujem na moje alke u kancelariji -

(Laughter)

(Smeh)

Just last month, I was invited to keynote a Latino Heritage Month event.

Prošlog meseca bila sam pozvana da govorim

na događaju u okviru meseca latinoameričkog nasleđa.

The week of the presentation, the organization expressed concerns.

U nedelji prezentacije, organizacija je izrazila zabrinutost.

They called my slides "activist,"

Nazvali su moje slajdove „aktivističkim”

and they meant that negatively.

i to u negativnom kontekstu.

(Laughter)

(Smeh)

(Applause)

(Aplauz)

Two days before the presentation,

Dva dana pre prezentacije,

they requested that I not show a two-minute video affirming natural hair,

zahtevali su da ne prikažem dvominutni film

koji promoviše prirodnu kosu,

because "it may create a barrier to the learning process

zato što to „može stvoriti barijeru u procesu učenja

for some of the participants."

kod nekih učesnika.”

(Laughter)

(Smeh)

That poem, "Hair," was written and performed by Elizabeth Acevedo,

Pesmu „Kosa” je napisala i izvodila Elizabet Asevedo,

a Dominican-American 2018 National Book Award winner,

Amerikanka dominikanskog porekla,

dobitnica nagrade „Nacionalna knjiga” 2018. godine,

and it appeared in an award-winning Smithsonian exhibit that I curated.

i pojavljuje se u nagrađivanoj postavci u Smitsonijanu, koju ja uređujem.

I canceled the talk,

Otkazala sam govor,

explaining to them that their censorship of me and my work made me uncomfortable.

objasnivši im da mi njihovo cenzurisanje mene i mog posla stvara neprijatnost.

(Applause and cheers)

(Aplauz i ovacije)

Respectability politics and idealized femininity

Politika uglednosti i idealizovana ženstvenost

influence how we display women

utiču na način kako prikazujemo žene

and which women we choose to display.

i koje žene biramo za prikazivanje.

And that display has skewed toward successful and extraordinary

Taj iskrivljeni prikaz je okrenut ka uspešnim i izvanrednim,

and reputable and desirable,

poštovanim i poželjnim,

which maintains the systemic exclusion

čime održava sistemsku isključenost

and marginalization of the everyday, the regular, the underrepresented

i marginalizovanje svakodnevnog, normalnog, nedovoljno zastupljenog,

and usually, the nonwhite.

i obično, onog što ne pripada belcima.

As a museum curator, I am empowered to change that narrative.

Kao muzejski kustos, imam moć da menjam tu priču.

I research, collect and interpret objects and images of significance.

Ja istražujem, skupljam i interpretiram predmete i slike od značaja.

Celia Cruz, the queen of Salsa --

Selija Kruz, kraljica salse -

(Cheers)

(Ovacije)

yes -- is significant.

da - ona je značajna,

And an Afro-Latina.

i Afrolatinoamerikanka.

The Smithsonian has collected her costumes, her shoes,

Smitsonijan je prikupio njene kostime, cipele,

her portrait, her postage stamp

portrete, poštanske markice

and this reimagining ...

i ovaj prikaz...

by artist Tony Peralta.

umetnika Tonija Peralte.

Kada sam ovaj rad priključila zbrici i prikazala ga,

When I collected and displayed this work,

it was a victory for symbolic contradictions.

to je bila pobeda za simboličnu protivrečnost.

Pride in displaying a dark-skinned Latina,

Ponos kroz prikazivanje tamnopute Latinoamerikanke,

a black woman,

crnkinje,

whose hair is in large rollers which straighten your hair,

čija je kosa u velikim viklerima koji ispravljaju kosu,

perhaps a nod to white beauty standards.

možda prihvatanje standarda lepote belaca.

A refined, glamorous woman in oversized, chunky gold jewelry.

Prefinjena, glamurozna žena sa prevelikim, glomaznim zlatnim nakitom.

When this work was on view,

Kada je ovaj rad bio prikazan,

to je na Instagramu bila jedna od naših najviše deljenih slika,

it was one of our most Instagrammed pieces,

and visitors told me they connected with the everyday elements

a posetioci su mi rekli da su se povezali sa svakodnevnim elementima

of her brown skin or her rollers or her jewelry.

njene braon kože, viklera ili nakita.

Our collections include Celia Cruz

Naša kolekcija uključuje Seliju Kruz

and a rare portrait of a young Harriet Tubman ...

i retke portrete mlade Harijet Tabman,

iconic clothing from the incomparable Oprah Winfrey.

poznatu odeću neponovljive Opre Vinfri.

But museums can literally change

Muzeji bukvalno mogu da promene

how hundreds of millions of people see women

kako stotine miliona ljudi vide žene,

and which women they see.

kao i to koje žene gledaju.

So rather than always the first or the famous,

Tako da, umesto da to uvek budu oni koji su prvi ili poznati,

it's also our responsibility to show a regular Saturday at the beauty salon,

naša odgovornost je da prikažemo i običnu subotu u salonu lepote,

the art of door-knocker earrings ...

umetnost visećih minđuša...

(Laughter)

(Smeh)

fashionable sisterhood ...

modno sestrinstvo...

(Laughter)

(Smeh)

and cultural pride at all ages.

i kulturalni ponos svih starosnih grupa.

Stories of everyday women

Priče običnih žena

whose stories have been knowingly omitted from our national and global histories.

čije su priče bile svesno izostavljene iz naših nacionalnih i globalnih istorija.

And oftentimes in museums, you see women represented by clothing

Često u muzejima možete videti žene predstavljene odećom,

or portraits or photography ...

portretima ili fotografijama,

but impactful, life-changing stories from everyday women

ali moćne priče o običnim ženama koje menjaju život

can also look like this Esmeraldan boat seat.

mogu takođe izgledati kao sedište za čamac iz Esmeraldasa.

Esmeraldas, Ecuador was a maroon community.

Esmeraldas u Ekvadoru je bila zajednica odbeglih robova.

Its dense rainforest protected indigenous and African populations

Njegova gusta prašuma je štitila autohtoni narod i Afrikance

from Spanish colonizers.

od španskih kolonizatora.

There are roads now,

Sada postoje putevi,

but there are some parts inland that are still only accessible by canoe.

ali i dalje postoje delovi unutar zemlje koji su dostupni samo kanuom.

Débora Nazareno frequently traveled those Ecuadorian waterways by canoe,

Debora Nazareno je često putovala kanuom ovim vodenim putevima Ekvadora,

so she had her own boat seat.

tako da je imala svoje sedište u čamcu.

Hers personalized with a spiderweb and a spider,

Njeno lično, sa paukovom mrežom i paukom,

representing Anansi, a character in West African folklore.

koji je predstavljalo Anansi, lik iz zapadnoafričkog folklora.

Débora also sat on this seat at home, telling stories to her grandson, Juan.

Debora je sedela na ovom sedištu i kod kuće,

dok je pričala priče svom unuku Huanu.

And this intangible ritual of love

Ovaj neopipljivi ritual ljubavi

in the form of intergenerational storytelling

u obliku međugeneracijskog pripovedanja

is common in communities across the African diaspora.

je uobičajen u zajednicama afričke dijaspore.

And this everyday act sparked in Juan the desire to collect and preserve

Ovaj obični čin je pobudio u Huanu želju da prikupi i očuva

over 50,000 documents related to Afro-Indian culture.

preko 50 000 dokumenata o afroindijanskoj kulturi.

In 2005, Juan García Salazar, Débora's grandson,

Godine 2005, Deborin unuk, Huan Garsija Salazar,

and by now a world-renowned Afro-Ecuadorian scholar,

sada već svetski poznat afroekvadorski naučnik,

traveled to Washington, D.C.

otputovao je u Vašington.

He met with Lonnie Bunch, the director of the museum where I work,

Sastao se sa Loni Banč, direktorkom muzeja u kome ja radim,

and toward the end of their conversation,

i na kraju njihovog razgovora,

Juan reached into his bag and said, "I'd like to give you a present."

Huan je posegnuo za nečim u torbi rekavši: „Želeo bih da vam dam poklon.”

On that day, Débora Nazareno's humble wooden boat seat

Tog dana, skromno drveno sedište za čamac Debore Nazareno

became the very first object donated

je postalo prvi donirani predmet

to the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture.

Nacionalnog muzeja Smitsonijan o afroameričkoj istoriji i kulturi.

It is encased, displayed and has been seen by almost five million visitors

Izloženo je u vitrini i videlo ga je skoro pet miliona posetilaca

from all over the world.

sa svih strana sveta.

I will continue to collect from extraordinary historymakers.

Ja ću nastaviti da skupljam predmete od izuzetnih tvoraca istorije.

Their stories are important.

Njihove priče su važne.

But what drives me to show up today and every day

Ali ono što me pokreće da se pojavim ovde danas i svaki dan

is the simple passion to write our names in history,

je jednostavna strast da ispišem naša imena u istoriju,

display them publicly for millions to see

da ih prikažem javno milionima ljudi,

and walk in the ever-present light that is woman.

da vide i prođu kroz svevremensku svetlost žena.

Thank you.

Hvala vam.

(Applause and cheers)

(Aplauz i ovacije)