Skip to main content
Unit of study_

ARHT6956: Indigenising Museums:Theory and Practice

Semester 2, 2021 [Normal day] - Remote

The unit engages students with the particular sensitivities and protocols involved in caring for historic and contemporary collections of Indigenous art and culture in Australia and overseas. Shifts in the balance of cultural power have compelled many museums to critically reflect on the way that Indigenous collections and objects are stored, handled, interpreted and displayed and this unit will examine the theories and methodologies of Indigenising museums.

Unit details and rules

Unit code ARHT6956
Academic unit Art History
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Stephen Gilchrist, stephen.gilchrist@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Visual analysis
n/a
25% Week 05
Due date: 12 Sep 2021 at 23:59

Closing date: 12 Sep 2021
1500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO6 LO7 LO9
Assignment Exhibition diary
n/a
25% Week 09
Due date: 10 Oct 2021 at 23:59

Closing date: 10 Oct 2021
1500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO5 LO1 LO2
Assignment Research essay
n/a
50% Week 13
Due date: 14 Nov 2021 at 23:59

Closing date: 14 Nov 2021
3000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO4 LO8

Assessment summary

  • Visual analysis:Choose a work of art that is currently on display from the Indigenous collection of the Art Gallery of New South Wales to research and write an in depth analysis of it as if an extended wall label. This is an exercise in looking, researching and writing. 
  • Exhibition diary: Choose four current exhibitions of Indigenous art in a commercial gallery, public space, state gallery or museum and write a short 375 word response to it. An exhibition usually has some supporting written material such as a catalogue which will provide relevant information and some critical perspective on the work. However, the main point of the exhibition diary is to give you the opportunity to express your own ideas and to develop your critical voice.
  • Final research paper: The Final Research Paper is intended to be an in-depth exploration of one of the burning questions that the course raised for you. The goal is to provide you with the opportunity to further pursue something that has piqued your interest or curiosity during the semester in light of the content and themes of this course.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Decolonisation or Indigenisation: foundational concepts and methodologies in Indigenous museology Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 02 Hunted and collected: the origins of Indigenous collections in Australia; Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO5
Week 03 Shapeshifting: museological and disciplinary reformulations Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 04 Memory institutions: negotiating the past, present and future Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO9
Week 05 Beyond museum walls: the importance of community consultation and participation Seminar (2 hr) LO3 LO8
Week 06 Mining the museum: interventions and activations by Indigenous artist and curators Seminar (2 hr) LO2 LO8 LO9
Week 07 Repatriation: material and spiritual returns Seminar (2 hr) LO3 LO5
Week 08 Keepers of place and culture: community run spaces Seminar (2 hr) LO3 LO5 LO7
Week 09 Biennales, triennials, indigennales: the art of the blockbuster Seminar (2 hr) LO6 LO9
Week 10 Expressions of the intangible: curating intangible cultural heritage Seminar (2 hr) LO6 LO7
Week 11 Curating the nation(s): issues of nationhood, statehood and Indigenous sovereignty Seminar (2 hr) LO2 LO8
Week 12 Awakening Languages: Gestures of Sovereignty Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO7 LO8
Week 13 Separatist or integrated: the future of Indigenous curation Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO4 LO5

Attendance and class requirements

  • Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
  • Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
  • Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. appreciate the politics of curating cross-culturally and to understand the trajectory of Indigenous museology
  • LO2. examine the methodological, theoretical, cultural and political value of Indigenous curatorial practices
  • LO3. consider the importance of working with communities and the implications of co-authored exhibition
  • LO4. understand the political, cultural and material needs of collections of Indigenous art and culture
  • LO5. develop best practices within Australian Museums and model the objectives and quality standards set by Australian museums, galleries and keeping places in relation to Indigenous peoples and collections
  • LO6. demonstrate curatorial skills in the interpretation and display of Indigenous art and material culture
  • LO7. demonstrate an understanding of the deep cultural values of objects and the people to which they belong
  • LO8. understand the political, cultural and material needs of collections of Indigenous art and culture
  • LO9. analyse Indigenous works of art.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Readings have been revised as has the delivery structure has been amended.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.