Category: ethnography
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A Māori world in Vienna
What the Māori artist George Nuku has created for the Weltmuseum Wien is truly spectacular. “Oceans. Collections. Reflections.” is the apt title of this gigantic takeover of the Weltmuseum´s entire ground floor. Seven rooms are filled from top to bottom with George Nuku´s sculptures, paintings, drawings, carvings, supplemented by items from the museum´s own collection.…
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Return of the dead to Weltmuseum Wien
Yes, they are back this weekend, the dead and not so dead, celebrating Día de los Muertos with a whole series of events at Weltmuseum Wien. After a year´s absence, fortunately the Weltmuseum opened its doors again for the festivities and exhibitions surrounding this traditional Mexican holiday. Why, you might ask, would a Mexican holiday…
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Subjective stories of objects at Weltmuseum Wien
Things. Lots of things. Beautiful, curious, “exotic”, “ethnic”, historic things. That is what you will find at the Weltmuseum Wien, which houses an extensive collection of artifacts accumulated by collectors over the last few centuries by explorers of other worlds. These traveling collectors (such as Crown Prince Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este) were usually rich or…
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Underneath it all – the long cultural history of the head scarf at Weltmuseum Wien
Headgear doesn’t define a woman´s position, but in Austria´s (and much of Western Europe´s) current political climate, the head scarf has become a symbol-laden topic of political debate. The garment has become a veiled metaphor for something else in political rhetoric. Not coincidentally, I think, the Weltmuseum Wien now has a special exhibition, not on…
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Observing collectors of the exotic
Missionaries – mercenaries – ethnographers – tourists… One might say that collecting things is a basic human urge. Some people collect clocks, antique books, vintage clothing, rubber ducks, bottle tops, even umbrella sleeves (!) – you name it, somebody will surely be collecting it. (I personally admit to an out-of-control collection of (artificial) birds…
ViennaCultgram 